184 SWAN RIVER NATIVE. 



sion the extensive woods and the patches of cultiva- 

 tion that lay within the bosom of the Bay. The 

 dazzling white sand beaches, too, strongly marked 

 by the dark blue sea, heightened the beauty of tlie 

 scene ; which to us, who had for some months 

 seen nothing but the monotonous north-west coast 

 of Australia, appeared truly enchanting. 



During the first watch we beat up the bay, and at 

 midnight anchored ; the barking of dogs, the crow- 

 ing of cocks, and the tolling of bells assuring us that 

 we were once again in the vicinity of civilization. 

 In the morning we found ourselves off the town of 

 Coepang, when we shifted our berth farther in ; the 

 flag-staff of Fort Concordia bearing south a quarter 

 of a mile. 



Our Swan River native came up to me after we 

 had anchored, dressed in his best, shoes polished, and 

 buttoned up to the chin in an old uniform jacket. 

 " Look," said he, pointing to some Malay lads 

 alono'side in a canoe, " trowsers no sot 'urn." A 

 toss of the head supplied what was wanting to the 

 completeness of this speech, and said as plainly as 

 words could have done, " poor wretches !" I tried 

 in vain to point out their superiority, by saying, 

 " Malay boy, work, have house ; Swan River boy, 

 no work, bush walk." I then drew his attention to 

 the country, the delicious fruits and other good 

 things to eat (knowing that the surest road to an 

 Australian's heart is through his mouth ;) but all 

 was in vain ! my simple friend shook his head, say- 



