N E W - S ' O U T H V/ A L E S\ ' 
boiling ill the pot, and by the manner in which he ex- 
prelTed his admiration ^ made it evident that he intended 
to profit by what he faw. Governor PhilUp contrived to 
make him underftand that large fliells might cdnveni- 
ently be ufed for the fame piirpofe, and it is probable 
that by thefe hints, added to his own obfervation, he 
v/ill be enabled to introduce the art of boiling among his 
countrymen. Hitherto they appear to have known no 
other way of dreffing food than broiling. Their methods 
of kindling fire are probably very imperfe6l and labori- 
ous, for it is obferved that they ufuallykeepit burning, and 
are very rarely feen without either a fire actually made, 
or a piece of lighted wood, which they carry with them 
from place to place, and even in their canoes.'-'-' The 
perpetual fi.res, which in foiiie countries formed a part 
of the national religion, had perhaps no other origin 
than a fimilar inability to produce it at pleafure ; and 
if we fuppofe the original flame to have been kindled 
by lightning, the fiction of its coming down from 
heaven will be found to deviate very little from the 
truth. 
In pafliing near a point of land in this harbour, the 
toats were perceived by a number of the natives, twenty 
of whom waded into the water unarmed, received what 
* In Hawkfw, Voy. vol. iii. p. 234, it is faid that they produce fire with great 
facility, &c. which account is the more correft, time will probably fhow, 
H was 
