110 
A VOYAGE TO 
[East Coast. 
1802. 
October. 
Saturday 30. 
high enough for altitudes to be taken for the time keepers. Soon 
after daylight, the natives were with us again, in seven canoes ; some 
of them came under the stern, and fifteen or twenty of the people 
ascended on board, bringing in their hands pearl-oyster shells and 
necklaces of cowries ; with which, and some bows and arrows, they 
obtained more of the precious tooree. Wishing to secure the friend- 
ship and confidence of these islanders to such vessels as might here- 
after pass through Torres’ Strait, and not being able to distinguish 
any chief amongst them, I selected the oldest man, and presented 
him with a hand-saw, £ hammer and nails, and some other trifles ; of 
all which we attempted to show him the use, but I believe without 
success; for the poor old man became frightened, on finding himself 
to be so particularly noticed. 
At. this time we began to heave short for weighing, and made 
signs to the Indians to go down into their canoes, which they 
seemed unwilling to comprehend ; but on the seamen going aloft to 
loose the sails, they went hastily down the stern ladder and ship’s 
sides, and shoved off; and before the anchor was up they paddled 
back to the shore, without our good understanding having suffered 
any interruption. 
The colour of these Indians is a dark chocolate; they are 
active, muscular men, about the middle size, and their countenances 
expressive of a quick apprehension. Their features and hair appeared 
to be similar to those of the natives of New South Wales, and they 
also go quite naked; but some of them had ornaments of shell work, 
and of plaited hair or fibres of bark, about their waists, necks, and 
ancles. Our friend Bongaree could not understand any thing of 
their language, nor did they pay much attention to him; he seemed, 
indeed, to feel his own inferiority, and made but a poor figure 
amongst them. The arms of these people have been described in 
the voyage of captain Bligh (Introduction, p. xxiii); as also the 
canoes, of which the annexed plate, from a drawing by Mr. Westall, 
gives a correct representation. The two masts, when not wanted, 
