DISCOVERY OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA 415 



rocks opposite the ship. The bodies of some were painted 

 with broad white strokes, resembling a cross-belt, garters, 

 and bracelets. By noon the Endeavour was " within 

 the mouth of the inlet." Natives were seen on both 

 heads of the Bay. Under the South head were four small 

 canoes, " the worst canoes," says Cook, " I ever saw, 

 made of one piece of bark, drawn or tied up at one end, 

 with the middle kept open by a stick." In each canoe was 

 one man " who held in his hand a long pole, with which 

 he struck fish, venturing with his little embarkation 

 almost into the surf. These people seemed to be totally 

 engaged in what they were about ; the ship passed within 

 a quarter of a mile of them, and yet they scarcely lifted 

 their eyes." At 2 p.m. the Endeavour anchored under 

 the South shore, abreast of a small village of six or eight 

 houses. An old woman came in from the bush with some 

 sticks. She looked at the ship, but expressed neither 

 surprise nor concern, and lit a fire. The fishermen landed 

 and dressed their dinner, totally unmoved by the sight 

 of the ship about half a mile away. The Englishmen 

 also dined, and then manned the boats. " But, as soon 

 as we approached the rocks, two of the men came down, 

 each armed with a lance about ten feet long, and a short 

 stick, which he seemed to handle as if it was a machine 

 to throw the lance." They showed themselves " resolved 

 to dispute our landing to their utmost, though they were 

 but two, and we thirty or forty." A parley of a quarter 

 of an hour was fruitless. The Indians " remained resolute." 

 Muskets with small shot were fired, lances were thrown, 

 and the two defenders of Australia ran away. The English- 

 men went to the " houses," threw beads and ribbons 

 to the children, and took away some forty or fifty 

 lances. 



Cook's chief wish was for water. He dug in the sand, Water, 

 and found a little. He crossed to the North side, and found 

 some pools on the rocks. He returned to his diggings 

 in the South, " by which means, and a small stream they 

 found fresh water sufficient to water the ship." " A 

 very fine stream " was afterwards found on the North 



