84 



THE NATIVES IN THE BOAT. 



on an open, grassy space in the river bed, and the 

 Cockatoo tribe having joined us, formed quite an 

 animated scene. Melville made a portrait of Tho- 

 mas, during which he was tolerably patient and very 

 tractable, putting himself into the required attitudes, 

 aud when the sketch was finished, complimenting 

 it with a long wurr-r. 



We observed one of the Cockatoo tribe with a 

 dirty bag over his shoulder, which on examination 

 proved to be made of a piece of a damask table- 

 cloth. He pointed to the sea-coast, but we could 

 not make out whether it was given him by a white 

 man or was cast ashore. He probably, however, had 

 got it from the Beagle. One man attempted to pick 

 Ince's pocket of his handkerchief, but was terribly 

 alarmed on his taking up his gun, aud the rest in- 

 terposed to beg he would not shoot him. On our 

 returning to the boat, Thomas and two others only 

 accompanied us ; and as we went away, a great 

 shouting and confusion arose among the rest> which 

 was probably occasioned by the Cockatoo tribe 

 taking leave, as they shortly crossed the river to the 

 north. On getting back to the boat, we added a 

 piece of looking-glass to our other presents, with 

 which they were highly delighted, each one as he 

 looked into it holding up his chin, twisting his face, 

 opening and shutting his eyes, screwing his mouth 

 about, and contorting his countenance in such a man- 

 ner as convulsed us with laughter, especially as they 

 preserved the utmost gravity all the time. One of 



