NEW SOUTH WALES. 
21 1 
many other things, the odour of which, probably from ^ 
the ftalenefs of the compofition, was very far from 
being agreeable. When we firft landed, many of the 
natives repeated the word, Englees^ as if to enquire whe- 
ther we were of that nation, but when they underftoocl 
that we were they fliook their heads and faid, Efpagnol : 
poffibly, therefore, the difcovery of our nation might 
prevent them from being as courteous on fnore as they 
had been in their canoes." 
From fome of the above circumHances it is unde- 
niably evident that thefe people have had intercourfe 
with Europeans, and probably with the Spaniards ; and 
from the averfion which they expreffed to the Englijh^ it 
feems not an unfair conje6lure that this ifland might per- 
haps hQArtingall^whtvQ our countrymen haddiftinguiflied 
themfelves five years before by the affiftance they 
gave to a hoftile ftate but if fo, their knowledge of 
the Spaniards muft have been porterior to the departure 
of the Englifli, who from the narrative mufi: have 
been the firft Europeans feen there. Had the adven- 
tures of the Antelope's crew been then made known to 
the world. Lieutenant Shortland would with joy have 
* It might, perhapf, be thought by fome Yea^rs, that if this had been the cafe 
they would now have endeavoured to talce revenge, but we find from Captain 
Wilfon's narrative, that all animofity was dropped as foon as peace ;had been «fta- 
Milbed with the inhabitants of Pelew. See that work, Chap. xvi. p. 192. 
E e 2. 
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