MANGROVE INLET. 65 



his stomach. Just beyond, we put up a covey of 

 small brown ducks, that whistled like plovers as 

 they flew over our heads. I was lucky enough to 

 kill one by a long shot, but we did not get back to the 

 ship early enough to preserve the skin. The creek 

 now divided into two, of which we took the left 

 hand branch. A little above this we came on a 

 native weir, in a very narrow shoal part, where we 

 landed at 2 h. 80 m. p. m. on a little grassy flat, 

 surrounded by mangroves, and went for a walk till 

 the flood tide should come up. Pushing through 

 forty or> fifty yards of mud and mangroves, we came 

 to a grassy bank, leading to a large open plain, with 

 fine tall grass and light park-like timber scattered 

 about. As soon as we emerged from the mangroves, 

 two natives shewed themselves, and, giving me his 

 gun, Captain Blackwood advanced to meet them. He 

 presented them with his pocket handkerchief, and 

 saluted them by dancing, native fashion, on which 

 they immediately became friends. Two more natives 

 now coming up, Ince joined the party with similar 

 ceremonies, and then I joined them, and having 

 completed the introductory dance, we all proceeded 

 together in a friendly manner ; on which a young 

 woman and two boys joined us from the mangroves. 

 We walked on for about a mile, over a fine grassy 

 plain, till we again saw a large belt of mangroves, 

 and a wide sandy space before us. The natives pro- 

 ceeded towards this, where we saw others likewise 



VOL. I. F 



