NATIVES ON A RAFT. 15 



events occurred worthy of any remark during our 

 examination, except one of a trifling character : 

 the musquitoes taking advantage of the cahn, 

 between the high mangroves on the banks, attacked 

 us most cruelly, a circumstance we mention as tri- 

 fling, as far as the reader is concerned, but of great 

 moment to us. 



After completing the survey of the southern and 

 western portion of this harbour, we returned to the 

 ship, where soon afterwards Captain Wickham also 

 arrived, having found Patterson Bay to be a good 

 port. It trended in south ten miles, and E. S. E. 

 the same distance, forming quite an inner haven, 

 which was named after Mr. Bynoe. 



At the turning leading from the outer to the inner 

 harbour they came suddenly in view of a raft mak- 

 ing across, a distance of three miles, on which were 

 two women with several children, whilst four or five 

 men were swimming alongside, towing it and sup- 

 porting themselves by means of a log of wood across 

 their chests. On perceiving the boat they instantly 

 struck out for the land leaving the women on the 

 raft. For some time the latter kept their posi- 

 tion, waiting until the boat got quite near, when they 

 gave utterance to a dreadful yell, and assuming at 

 the same time a most demoniacal aspect, plunged 

 into the water as if about to abandon the children 

 to their fate. Not so, however ; despite the dread- 

 ful fear they appeared to entertain of the white man, 



