Torres' Strait .] 
TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
109 
tween forty and fifty Indians came off, in three canoes. They would isos. 
October 
not come along-sidc of the ship, but lay off at a little distance, holding Friday 29. 
up cocoa nuts, joints of bamboo filled with water, plantains, bows 
and arrows, and vociferating tooree! tooreel and mammoosee! A barter 
soon commenced, and was carried on in this manner: a hatchet, or 
other piece of iron ( tooree ) being held up, they offered a bunch of 
green plantains, a bow and quiver of arrows, or what they judged 
would be received in exchange ; signs of acceptance being made, the 
Indian leaped over-board with his barter, and handed it to a man 
who went down the side to him ; and receiving his hatchet, swam 
back to the canoe. Some delivered their articles without any distrust 
of the exchange, but this was not always the case. Their eagerness 
to get tooree was great, and at first, any thing of that same metal was 
received ; but afterwards, if a nail were held up to an Indian, he 
shook his head, striking the edge of his right hand upon the left 
arm, in the attitude of chopping ; and he was well enough under- 
stood. 
At sunset, two of the canoes returned to Murray’s Island, 
paddling to windward with more velocity than one of our boats could 
have rowed ; the third set a narrow, upright sail, between two masts 
in the fore part of the canoe, and steered north-westward, as I 
judged, for the Darnley’s Island of captain Bligh. 
I did not forget that the inhabitants of these islands had made 
an attack upon the Providence and Assistant in 1792 (Introduction, 
p. xxv ) ; nor that Mr. Bampton had some people cut off at Darnley’s 
Island in 1 793 ( p. xxxiv — xxxix ) . The marines were therefore kept 
under arms, the guns clear, and matches lighted ; and officers were 
stationed to watch every motion, one to each canoe, so long as they 
remained near the ship. Bows and arrows were contained in all the 
canoes ; but no intention of hostility was manifested by the Indians, 
unless those who steered for Darnley’s Island might be supposed to 
go for assistance. 
We did not get under way in the morning, until the sun was Saturday 30. 
