48 2 



ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [January, 



which corroborated this fuppofition was, that in the excurfions made 

 by Mr. Bafs into the country, having feldom any other fociety than 

 his two dogs, he would have been no great object of dread to a people 

 ignorant of the effects of fire-arms, and would certainly have been 

 hailed by any one who might have feen him. 



They fell in with many huts along the different mores of the river, 

 of the fame bad conftruction as thofe of Port Dalrymple, but with 

 fewer heaps of mufcle-fhells lying near them. The natives of this 

 place, probably, drew the principal part of their food from the woods; 

 the bones of fmall animals, fuch as opoffums, fquirrels, kangooroo 

 rats, and bandicoots, were numerous round their deferted fire-places ; 

 and the two fpears which they faw in the hands of the man were fimi- 

 lar to thofe ufed for hunting in other parts. Many trees alfo were 

 obferved to be notched. No canoes were ever feen, nor any trees fo 

 barked as to anfwer that purpofe. 



Befides the fmall quadrupeds already mentioned, they obferved the 

 grey and red kangooroo. The feathered tribes were apparently fimi- 

 lar to thofe of Port Dalrymple. Here again they daily ate their fwan, 

 the flocks of which even exceeded thofe that they had before met 

 with. 



The mod formidable among the reptiles was the black fnake with 

 venomous fangs, and fo much in colour refembling a burnt {tick, that 

 a clofe infpection only could detect the difference. Mr. Bafs once, 

 with his eyes cautioufly directed towards the ground, ftepped over 

 one which was lying afleep among fome black flicks, and would have 

 paffed on without obferving it, had not its loud hifs attracted his at- 

 tention the moment afterwards. 



He determined on taking him alive, in order to try the effect of 

 his bite upon a hawk that he had in his poffeffion. In the conteft, 

 he bit himfelf ; after which he was foon mattered, and in lefs than 

 ten minutes died. Having never before known a fnake of his fize to 

 be killed by a few very flight blows with a flick, which was fo rotten 

 as fcarcely to bear the weight of its own blow, he was at a lofs to 



conceive 



