CH. VI.] DANCE AT A PISTOL SHOT. 247 



hitherto observed towards us by the aborigines. They used 

 the most violent and expressive gestures, apparently to in- 

 duce us to go back, whence we had come ; and as I felt, that 

 we were rather unceremonious invaders of their countrv, it 

 was certainly my duty to conciliate them by every possible 

 means. Accordingly I again advanced, bearing a green branch 

 on high, but the repulsive gestures then becoming much more 

 violent than before, I stopped at some distance from the party. 

 Honest Vulcan, our blacksmith, (two or three men being 

 near him) was at work with his bellows and anvil, near the 

 river bank. This man's labour seemed to excite very much 

 their curiosity ; and again the overseer and Bulger advanced 

 quietly towards those natives, who had approached nearest 

 to the blacksmith. Hearing at length much laughter, I 

 concluded that a truce had been effected as usual, and I 

 too walked forward with my branch. But on going to the 

 spot, I found that all the laughter came from our party, the 

 natives having refused to sit down, and continuing to wave 

 the branches in our people's faces, having also repeatedly spit 

 at them ; the whole of which conduct was good-naturedly 

 borne in hopes of establishing a more amicable intercourse. 

 As a peace-offering, I then presented the man who appeared 

 to be the leader, with a tomahawk, the use of which he imme- 

 diately guessed by turning round to a log and chopping at it. 

 Two other stout fellows, (our morning visitor being one of 

 them) then rudely demandedmy pistols from my belt; where- 

 upon I drew one, and, curious to see the effect, I fired it at 

 a tree. The scene which followed, I cannot satisfactorily de- 

 scribe, or represent, although I shall never forget it. As if 

 they had previously suspected we were evil demons, and had 

 at length a clear proof of it, they repeated their gesticulations 

 of defiance with tenfold fury, and accompanied the action with 

 demoniac looks, hideous shouts and a war-song — crouching, 

 jumping, Spitting, springing with the spear, and throwing 

 dust at us, as they slowly retired. In short, their hideous 

 crouching postures, measured gestures, and low jumps, all to 



