68 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1818. observed to follow us armed with spears, but they 
March 29, did not shew themselves, since they probably 
perceived we were prepared to receive them. 
Before dark the canoe was hoisted up to the 
stern, and our other boats were secured under it ; 
notwithstanding which the natives swam off, 
and, when every thing was quiet, cut the whale 
boat’s moorings, without being detected, and 
swam away with her in tow ; it was, however, 
discovered in time, and the boat recovered before 
the tide had drifted her out of sight, 
so. Early the next morning the cutter was removed 
nearer to the watering-place that Boongaree had 
found, and in doing this we were watched by 
ten or twelve natives, who were standing as 
they thought concealed among the trees. This 
afforded us so good an opportunity of expressing 
our anger at their attempt to steal our boat, and of 
shewing them that we were not Malays, that we 
fired a shot from a six-pounder carronade over their 
heads, the report of which for a moment scared 
them ; but their alarm was only momentary, for 
they soon afterwards recovered from their fright 
and continued to watch us as before. 
As soon as the vessel was secured, our watering 
party commenced their operations, and had been 
employed for half an hour without interruption, 
when the natives suddenly appeared on the brink 
