^50 RESTORATION ISLAND. 



anchorage, to be taken up at that hour with five 

 ships. Oar arrival was under rather singular 

 circumstances. The night being dark, we could 

 not make out even the outline of the high rocky 

 island, which appeared one dark mass ; and the 

 meeting of the land and sea was only occasionally 

 distinguished by patches of white, where the water 

 broke against the steep rocky sides of the island. 

 Not a sound came from the shore as we drew near 

 our berth ; but no sooner did the heavy splash of 

 the anchor, and the noise of the cable running out, 

 resound among the heights, than one loud yell of 

 startled natives seemed to rise from one end of the 

 island to the other. The discharge of a signal 

 rocket, however, that curved its flight over the 

 island, instantaneously quieted the uproar, and 

 a death-like silence succeeded. 



In the morning we found that the island was 

 occupied by a party of natives from Torres 

 Strait. Their canoes, which were furnished w'ith 

 out-riggers, were hauled up on the beach, and their 

 spears were deposited in the bushes around, ready 

 for immediate use ; but, although they seemed to 

 suspect our friendly intentions towards them at first, 

 no disturbance occurred, and some were prevailed 

 upon to come on board. Their presence forcibly 

 reminded us of the melancholy fate of the crew of 

 the Charles Eaton ; and no doubt they had come to 

 the southward on a wrecking expedition. They 

 were a much finer race of men, than those met with 



