ARRIVAL OF NATIVES. 57 



undivided attention to any object you may meet 

 with, nor be utterly regardless of the movements of 

 your companions, nor throw yourself down to rest 

 with conscious security. In a short time, however, 

 watchfulness becomes habitual ; an unusual sound 

 or motion strikes upon your ear or eye unconsciously 

 as it were ; your gun is always ready to your hand, 

 and your hand ready to act instinctively, and with- 

 out interrupting your occupation, or breaking your 

 train of thoughts. 



After we had returned to the boat and dined, we 

 saw eight or ten men come out of the bush on to 

 the sands, about half a mile off, point to the boat, 

 make several gestures, and come towards us. We 

 sent a man to a rocky point to call and beckon to 

 them; on seeing which, they ran towards us, and 

 our man returned. When about 200 yards off they 

 stopped, coeyed, and gesticulated, all which we 

 returned, when, seeing them to be without arms in 

 their hands, I, with Captain Blackwood's permission, 

 stepped ashore, and went up to them, with a red 

 night-cap as a present. One man advanced to meet 

 me, on whose head I placed the red cap, and then 

 dancing " corrobory fashion" to each other, we 

 immediately became good friends, and the rest came 

 up. Captain Blackwood and Ince now joined us, 

 bringing some biscuit, and we all sat down and held 

 a palaver, laughing, singing, grimacing, and playing 

 all kinds of tricks. On our lighting our cigars they 

 all called out " medar," meaning, I conclude, fire. 

 Pulling out my powder flask, I made a small train 



