264 AUSTRALIA CHAP. XI 
During this time, a few of the Indians who had not followed 
the boat remained on the rocks opposite the ship, threaten- 
ing and menacing with their pikes and swords: two in 
particular, who were painted with white, their faces seem- 
ingly only dusted over with it, their bodies painted with 
broad strokes drawn over their breasts and backs, resembling 
much a soldier’s cross-belt, and their legs and thighs also 
with broad strokes drawn round them, like broad garters or 
bracelets. Each of these held in his hand a wooden weapon 
about 24 feet long, in shape much resembling a scimitar ; 
the blades of these looked whitish, and some thought shining, 
insomuch that they were almost of opinion that they were 
made of some kind of metal; but I thought they were 
only wood smeared over with the white pigment with 
which they paint their bodies. These two seemed to talk 
earnestly together, at times brandishing their crooked 
weapons at us, as in token of defiance. By noon we were 
within the mouth of the inlet,) which appeared to be very 
good. Under the south head of it were four small canoes, 
each containing 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 from their employment. I was almost 
inclined to think that, attentive to their business and 
deafened by the noise of the surf, they neither saw nor 
heard her go past. 
We came to an anchor abreast of a small village con- 
sisting of six or eight houses. Soon after this an old woman, 
followed by three children, came out of the wood: she 
carried several pieces of stick, and the children also had 
their little burthens. When she came to the houses, three 
younger children came out of one of them to meet her. She 
often looked at the ship, but expressed neither surprise nor 
concern: she then lighted a fire, and the four canoes came 
1 Botany Bay. It was Banks who, on his return to England, recommended 
the Government to form a penal settlement at this spot. 
