66 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1818. end of the beach, oozing out from the base of the 
MaiSas. pipe-clay cliffs, which proved upon examination 
to yield better water than the former, besides 
being very much more convenient to obtain. 
Our wooding-party commenced operations the 
day after we arrived, and, on their returning 
on board at night, imprudently left their tools on 
29. shore. The next day, whilst the people were at 
dinner, Boongaree, whose eyes were constantly 
directed to the shore, espied five natives among 
the grass, which was so high as nearly to 
conceal them, walking towards our wooding- 
place ; and, as they proceeded, it was perceived 
that they had stolen one of our station-flags, 
four of which had been erected on the beach 
to mark the base line. On reaching the place 
where our people had been employed, three of 
the natives began to throw down a pile of wood 
that had been heaped up ready to embark, whilst 
the fourth crept on his hands and knees towards 
the other station-flags, and succeeded in carrying 
off two more before he was observed ; but as he 
was on the point of taking the fourth he was de- 
tected, and two musquets were fired at him, upon 
which he fled into the woods, followed by his com- 
panions, carrying with them all our wooding 
tools. 
