*799«] 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



501 



received fome wet it miffed fire. He tried again j the gun again 

 miffed fire. 



While this was tranfa&ing, the major part of the natives were ob- 

 ferving Mr. Flinders's motions with much unconcern. On a third 

 trial the gun went off. The man in the water fell flat, as did every 

 individual among them ; but thofe on the more ran off almoft inltan- 

 taneoufly, and fcrambled away toward the bank, fome upright, and 

 fome upon their hands and feet. One of the people in the boat then 

 fired among them, and they fell again upon their faces ; but very 

 foon role and fled behind the bank into the wood. Even the man in 

 the water rofe and made off, but fo flowly, (looping very much, and 

 holding one hand to his back, that it was concluded he had been 

 wounded ; and he looked every now and then over his moulder, as 

 if expecting to fee the fpear that he fuppofed muft be flicking in his 

 back. According to Bong-ree's account, another native had his arm 

 broken by the fecond fhot. 



As this wanton attack had unfortunately obliged the party to fire 

 upon thefe people, in order to maintain that fuperiority which they 

 meant upon all occafions to affert, Mr. Flinders thought it might be 

 the means of preventing much future mifchief, to give them a more 

 extenfive idea of his power, and thereby deter them from any future 

 attempt in his intercourfe with them. For as this bay was to be ex- 

 amined, and the leak which the (loop had fprung was to be flopped 

 there, it became more than probable that they would often meet ; 

 and he was well fatisfiecl of the great influence which the awe of a 

 fuperior power has in favages to create refped, and render their com- 

 munications friendly. , • 



In this view, with two mufquet balls in his gun, he fired at a man 

 who was looking at them from among the trees. One of thefe balls 

 touched the edge of the bank in a right line for him ; the other paffed 

 over. They afterwards landed, intending to bring away the nets, 

 which it was fuppofed they had in their flight and alarm forgotten. 



