5 oo ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [August, 



feeming to go on well, the natives appearing rather fhy than other- 

 wife, Mr. Flinders joined his companion, taking his gun with him. 

 By making friendly figns, laying down the gun, and offering them a 

 woollen cap, he was luffered to approach, and one took the cap ; 

 but when Mr. Flinders made figns that he expected to have his net- 

 bag in return, he gave him to underftand that he muft firft give 

 him his hat. This hat was made of the white filaments of the cab- 

 bage-tree, and feemed to excite the attention and willies of the whole 

 party. >, 

 As the hat was not given to him, he came forward, firft throwing 

 the cap that he had received upon the bank behind him, to fee ure it, 

 and feemed very anxious for either the hat or gun, or both. Every 

 thing, however, was carried on very amicably ; and Mr. Flinders, 

 with his native, retreated flowly toward the boat ; but turned again, 

 upon finding that they preffed clofe after them. One of them, then, 

 laughing, and talking at the fame time to Mr. Flinders, attempted to 

 take the hat off his head with a long hooked flick ; which, on his 

 difcovering, created a laugh. Behind him another was ftretching out 

 a long arm to the fame object:, but was fearful of coming near enough 

 to reach it. 



On our people getting into the boat, and fhoving her off into deep 

 water, they did not feem pleafed, but tried to perfuade them to land 

 again. Finding that they could not fucceed, one of them threw his 

 piece of fire-wood at them ; but it falling fhort, the matter was treated 

 as a joke, and laughed at. On this another ran into the water, and 

 threw his alfo ; but it likewife fell fhort : he then took the hooked 

 flick, and flipping off the hook, which, it feems, was only lamed or 

 tied on, produced a fpear, with which he ran up to the middle in 

 water, and threw at them by hand. It paffed over the centre of the 

 boat, about a foot and a half above the gunwale, but touched no one. 

 After this impudent and unprovoked attack, Mr. Flinders fnapped his 

 gun at the man who had thrown the fpear ; but the flint having 

 ■ 8 received 



