284 NATIVES RECONNOITRE US. 



pulled into the village, and seemed to be landing 

 their cargo, apparently fish, and taking in an 

 armament of bows and arrows and other weapons, 

 changing also part of their crews, probably fisher- 

 men for warriors. There was much shouting and 

 hurrying to and fro among them ; and as every 

 thing portended a hostile movement, and there were 

 fully 200 fighting men among them, and as many 

 more within a mile or two, Captain Blackwood 

 ordered the six-pounders to be loaded with round 

 and grape, and all hands on deck with loaded 

 arms, and crouched behind the low bulwarks 

 of the Prince George, the cutter being ready 

 under her lee to act as occasion might require. 

 As soon as the first canoe was ready, they pulled up 

 inshore, with about thirty men in it, and then shov- 

 ing off into the stream, they drifted down upon us 

 with the tide, passing within about fifty yards, 

 shouting, pointing to the shore, and laughing and 

 using words we did not understand. I thought 

 once, however, they used the word Dowar, one of 

 the places named to us by the Erroobians as existing 

 in New Guinea. Several in each canoe held their 

 bows and arrows ready in their hands, w T hile 

 the rest steered, with their weapons lying at 

 their feet. All of them had the cane loop and 

 bamboo scoop hanging over the shoulder, and were 

 ornamented with shield-shaped pieces of shell over 

 the groin, and round ones on the breast, and with 

 bracelets and armlets. Several of them had large 

 red flowers stuck in the hair, and one had two large 



