196 
1 80S. 
January. 
Friday 4l. 
A VOYAGE TO [North Coast. 
round the north-west end of the island ; and then returned over the 
high land, through a most fatiguing brush wood, towards the wooders 
and the boat. On clearing the wood, four or live Indians were seen 
on a hill, half a mile to the left, and some of the wooding party ad- 
vancing towards them. The sight of us seemed to give the natives 
an apprehension of being surrounded, for they immediately ran; but 
our proceeding quietly down to the boat, which I did in the hope 
that our people might bring on an interview, appeared to satisfy them. 
The scientific gentlemen accompanied me on board to dinner; and I 
learned from Mr. Westall, that whilst he was taking a sketch at the 
east end of the island, a canoe, with six m'en in it, came over from 
Woodah. He took little notice of them until, finding they saw him 
and landed not far off, he thought it prudent to retreat with his 
servant to the wooding party. The natives followed pretty smartly 
after him ; and when they appeared on the brow of the hill, Mr. 
.Whitewood, the master’s mate, and some of his wooders went to 
meet them in a friendly manner. This was at the time that the ap- 
pearance of my party caused them to run ; but when we left the shore 
they had stopped, and our people were walking gently up the hill. 
' The natives had spears, but from the smallness of their num- 
ber, and our men being armed, I did not apprehend any danger; we 
had, however, scarcely reached the ship, when the report of muskets 
was heard ; and the people were making signals and carrying some 
one down to the boat, as if wounded or killed. I immediately des- 
patched two armed boats to their assistance, under the direction of 
the master ; with orders, if he met with the natives, to be friendly and 
give them presents, and by no means to pursue them into the wood. 
I suspected, indeed, that our people must have been the aggressors ; 
but told the master, if the Indians had made a wanton attack, to bring 
off their canoe by way of punishment ; intending myself to take such 
steps on the following day, as might be found expedient. 
At five o’clock Mr. Whitewood was brought on board, with 
four spear wounds in his body. It appeared that the natives, in wait- 
