3 8o ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [October, 



Grangers at Sydney; but the Yoo-lahng was the place of ren- 

 dezvous. 



At night they all danced, that is to Fay, both parties ; but not mixed 

 together: one fide waiting until the other had concluded. In the man- 

 ner of dancing, of announcing themfelves as ready to begin, and alfo 

 in their fong, there was an evident difference. 



The Sydney natives appeared to hare fome apprehenfion of the 

 event not proving favourable to them; for, perceiving an officer pre- 

 fent with a gun, one of them ftrenuoufly urged him, if any thing 

 fkould happen to him, to moot the Botany Bay black fellows. Some 

 other guns making their appearance, the ftrangers were alarmed and 

 uneafy, until affured that they were intended merely for the fecurity of 

 thofe who carried them. 



The time for this bufinefs was juft after ten in the forenoon : Car- 

 ru-ey and Cole-be were feated at one end of the Yoo-lahng, each 

 armed with a fpear and throwing-ftick, and provided with a fhield. 

 Here they fat until one of their opponents got up ; they then alfo rofe, 

 and put themfelves en garde. Some of the fpears which were thrown 

 at them they picked up and threw back; and others they returned 

 with extraordinary violence. The affair was over before two o'clock, 

 and Iefs mifchief than ufual had been done. It was underftood, 

 however, that another meeting would take place on the fame oc~ 

 cafion. 



In this, as in all contefts among them, the point of honour was ri- 

 gidly obferved. But fpears were not the only inftruments of warfare 

 on thefe occafions. They had alfo to combat with words, in which 

 the women fometimes bore a part. During this latter engagement, 

 when any very offenfive word met their ears they would fuddenly 

 place themfelves in the attitude of throwing the fpear, and at times let 

 it drop on the ground without difcharging : at others, they threw it 

 with all their ftrength ; but always fcrupuloufly obferving the fituatioa 

 of the perfon oppofed, and never throwing at him until he covered 

 himfelf with his fhield. The moil unaccountable trait in this bufinefs 



