CHAPTER VIII. 



EESCUE A WHITE WOMAN rEOM OAPTIVITT AMONG THE 

 NATITES — HEE HISTOBT — BEAMBIE AlTD BOATS COMPLETE 

 THE SUETBT OP TOEEES STEAIT — WISl AND THE MUL- 

 OEAVB ISIANDEES— INTEECOUESB WITH THE CAPE YOEK 

 NATITES — NEAEIT QUAEEEL WITH THEM AT A NIGHT DANCE 



WITNESS A NATIVE FIGHT — DISCOTEE SOME PINE COUNTET 



— INCIDENTS OP OITE STAT — MANY NEW BIEDS POUND — EE- 

 MAEKS ON THE CLIMATE, ETC. OP CAPE TOEK. 



On the day after our arrival at Cape York the 

 vessel from Sydney with our supplies anchored beside 

 us, and besides provisions and stores, we had the 

 additional pleasure of receiving five months' news 

 from home. 



On Oct. 16th, a startling incident occurred to 

 break the monotony of our stay. In the afternoon 

 some of our people on shore were surprised to see a 

 young white woman come up to claim their protec- 

 tion from a party of natives from whom she had 

 recently made her escape, and who, she thought, 

 would otherwise bring her back. Of course she 

 received every attention, and was taken on board 

 the ship by the first boat, when she told her story, 

 which is briefly as follows. Her name is Barbara 

 Thomson : she was born at Aberdeen in Scotland, 

 and along Avith her parents, emigrated to New South 



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