North Coast: Torres' Strait] INTRODUCTION. xxxv 
account of the missing boat and people. A shower of arrows in- b.vmpto» 
stantly came out of the wood; and a firing was commenced, which "f^' 
killed one Indian, and wounded some others. In the mean time, 
the coxswain found it impossible to keep the man, from his hair and 
body being greased ; and the boat's crew was too much occupied 
to assist him. 
July 8. The two commanders having heard the report of Mr. 
Dell, proceeded with the ships, round the northern reefs and sand 
banks, to the bay on the north-west side of Darnley's Island, which 
was named Treacherous Bay. On the 9th, in the afternoon, they 
anchored with springs on the cables, in 13 fathoms, sand, mud, and 
shells; the extremes of the island bearing E. £ N. to S. W. by S., 
and the nearest part distant a quarter of a mile. A boat was sent on 
shore; and returned, at sunset, with a few cocoa nuts; but without 
having seen any of the inhabitants. 
July 10. An armed party of forty-four men landed from the 
ships, under the command of Mr. Dell. After hoisting the union 
jack, and taking possession of this, and the neighbouring islands 
and coast of New Guinea, in the name of His Majesty, they examined 
the huts, and found the great coats of captain Hill, Mr. Carter, and 
Mr. Shaw ; with several other things which had belonged to them, 
and to the boats' crew ; so that no doubt was entertained of their 
having been murdered. In the evening, the party arrived from 
making the tour of the island; having burnt and destroyed one- 
hundred-and-thirty-five huts ; sixteen canoes, measuring from fifty 
to seventy feet in length ; and various plantations of sugar cane. 
The natives appeared to have retired to the hills in the centre of the 
island ; as not one of them could be discovered. 
Darnley's Island was judged to be about fifteen miles in circum- 
ference. It is variegated with hills and plains ; and the richness of 
the vegetation bespoke it to be very fertile ; it appeared, however, 
to be scantily supplied with fresh water, there being only one small 
place where it was found near the shore. The plantations of the 
