256 Kennedy's expedition. 



At eleven a.m., having- some of our g-uns in a 

 state to be trusted, we took to our boats and pulled 

 a short distance up the creek in order to avoid in 

 some measure the crossing' of the mangrove swamp. 

 We started, Jackey taking- the lead, leaving a party 

 to look after the boats. We walked for a short 

 distance in the mangrove swamp, and came out on 

 an open spot where we found a native camp, which 

 from appearances had been but recently abandoned, 

 the ashes of the fire being- still warm : we made a 

 strict search, but found nothing- ; we proceeded, 

 passed throug-h a small belt of mangroves, and came 

 on an open plain ; here Jackey and Tommy being- 

 the leading- men, saw five natives, about fifty yards 

 from us, planted behind trees, each with a bundle of 

 spears ; they were evidently watching- us, — Jackey 

 levelled his gun at the nearest, and ofi'they ran and 

 disappeared immediately : Jackey seemed very de- 

 sirous to shoot them, but I told him not to fire, as I 

 wished to speak to them. 



From the recent heavy rain the plain was very 

 nearly knee-deep with water, nearly the whole 

 distance we travelled the water was over our 

 ankles, making walking very fatiguing. After 

 crossing the plain we came to a band of trees and 

 bushes, among them I was surprised to find some 

 very fine banana plants ; I observed also a fine 

 specimen of the red cedar, (the only tree I had 

 hitherto seen was the Melaleuca ;) here we crossed 

 a small creek, and came on fine forest land. After 



