INTERVIEW WITIi NATIVES. 141 



deposited on the ground, and covered with a cairn 

 of turtles and dugong's bones or other material. 



For two days after the above occurrence, the 

 watering party ashore saw no signs of natives, when 

 suddenly one morning a party of sixteen or twenty 

 were observed coming along the beach from the 

 direction of Mount Bremer. As I happened to be 

 present, I will describe the first interview, both as 

 illustrating their manners, and as a guide for any 

 one who, being a stranger to the people, may be 

 placed in similar circumstances. The principal 

 part of the watering party were gone aboard to 

 breakfast, leaving only Lieut. Risk and Mr. Harvey, 

 with two marines at the tent, and Lieut. Yule and 

 myself, who had gone ashore to bathe. The 

 natives advanced in a rapid and tumultuary manner, 

 as if with hostile intentions, and we consequently 

 each took a musket and went to meet them. 

 Arrived within about 200 yards of us, they halted, 

 and on our approaching nearer, made signs of dis- 

 approbation, and retired to the edge of the jungle. 

 I accordingly advanced alone, telling Risk and 

 Yule, I would throw myself down on the ground, if 

 I saw occasion, when they were to fire over me. 

 On getting within about fifty yards of them, I laid 

 down my musket and advanced with extended arms.* 



* On such an occasion as this, a pair of small pistols con- 

 cealed about the person, while it does not diminish the confi- 

 dence of the natives in his good intentions, adds materially to 

 the confidence of the person who is making the experiment on 

 their' S; 



