74 CAPTAIN COOK 



and that he had no intention of harming them. 

 The savages made signs which he took to be an 

 invitation to land, but w^hen the boat advanced 

 they showed themselves as threatening as before. 

 Cook ordered a shot to be fired between them, 

 which only frightened them for a moment, after 

 which they began to hurl stones. This time a 

 shot-gun charge wounded the elder of the natives 

 in the leg. He disappeared, to return with a 

 shield and a quantity of spears, which he and his 

 companion proceeded to throw at the strangers, 

 fortunately without wounding them. A third 

 shot having put these plucky Indians to flight, 

 the Englishmen landed. They were the first of 

 their race to set foot on Australian soil, upon 

 which Cook immediately unfurled the British 

 flag. Part of the guard advanced towards some 

 rude tents, which resembled those of the natives 

 of Tierra del Fuego. Only a few terrified chil- 

 dren remained there. The Englishmen left in 

 each hut which they visited bracelets, necklaces 

 and cloth, hoping that these presents would earn 

 them the friendship of the inhabitants. When 

 they returned on the following day they found 

 that their gifts had been scorned, and they did 

 not see a single native. Those whom they saw 

 during the following days approached to within 

 a certain distance, then, uttering strange cries, 



