THE LOSS OF CAPTAIN BARKER. 241 
Evening closed in without any signs of Captain Barker’s 
return, orany circumstance by which Mr. Kent could con- 
firm his fears that he had fallen into the hands of the natives. 
For, whether it was that the tribe which had shewn such de- 
cided hostility to me when on the coast had not observed the 
party, none made their appearance ; and if I except two, who 
crossed the channel when Mr. Kent was in search of wood, 
they had neither seen nor heard any ; and Captain Barker’s 
enterprising disposition being well known to his men, hopes 
were still entertained that he was safe. A large fire was kin- 
dled, and the party formed a silent and anxious group around 
it. Soon after night-fall, however, their attention was roused 
by the sounds of the natives, and it was at length discovered, 
that they had lighted a chain of small fires between the sand- 
hill Captain Barker had ascended and the opposite side of 
the channel, around which their women were chanting their 
melancholy dirge. It struck upon the ears of the listeners 
with an ominous thrill, and assured them of the certainty 
of the irreparable loss they had sustained. All night did 
those dismal sounds echo along that lonely shore, but as 
morning dawned, they ceased, and Mr. Kent and his com- 
panions were again left in anxiety and doubt. They, at 
length, thought it most adviseable to proceed to the schooner 
to advise with Doctor Davies. They traversed the beach 
with hasty steps, but did not get on board till the follow- 
ing day. It was then determined to procure assistance 
from the sealers on Kangaroo Island, as the only means by 
which they could ascertain their leader’s fate, and they ac- 
it 
VOL. II. 
