]94 TREACHERY OR THE NATIVES. 
and who motioned to us several times to stop, and at length 
threw the weapon he carried at the boat. I immediately 
jumped up and pointed my gun at him to his great apparent 
alarm. Whether the natives hoped to intimidate us by a 
shew of numbers, or what immediate object they had in 
view, it is difficult to say; though it was most probably to 
seize a fitting opportunity to attack us. Seeing, I suppose, 
that we were not to be checked, they crossed from the 
shoal to the proper right bank of the river, and disappeared 
among the reeds that lined it. 
Shortly after this, eight of the women, whom we had not 
before noticed, came down to the water side, and gave us the 
most pressing invitation to land. Indeed they played their 
part uncommonly well, and tried for some time to allure us 
by the most unequivocal manifestations of love. Hopkin- 
son however who always had Ins eyes about him, obseived 
the spears of the men among the reeds. They kept abreast 
of us as we pulled up the stream, and, no doubt, were 
anticipating our inability to resist the temptations they 
had thrown in our way. I was really provoked at their 
barefaced treachery, and should most undoubtedly have 
attacked them, had they not precipitately retreated on being 
warned by the women that I was arming my men, which 
1 had only now done upon seeing such strong manifesta- 
tions of danger. M'Leay set the example of coolness on 
this occasion ; and I had some doubts whether I was jus- 
tified in allowing the natives to escape with impunity, con- 
