COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
89 
and as was expected, we were assailed by a ibis. 
shower of spears and stones from the natives, April 23. 
who were concealed behind the mangroves. 
Happily, however, we received no damage, al- 
though the spears and stones fell about us very 
thickly, and several of the former struck the 
boat. A volley of musketry was fired into the 
mangroves, but we could not ascertain whether 
any of the balls took effect, since we could not 
see our assailants. A wound from one of their 
stone-headed weapons, from our want of surgical 
knowledge, must in such a climate have proved 
fatal, and we considered our escape truly pro- 
vidential. As soon as we were out of the reach 
of their spears, which they continued to throw 
until it was of no use, we hoisted the sail, and 
steered round the shores of the bay. We had 
not proceeded far, before their canoe was ob- 
served secured to the beach by a small rope, 
which offered so good an opportunity of punish- 
ing these savages for their treacherous attack, 
that we landed and brought it away ; and upon 
examining its contents, we found not only their 
clubs, but also a large quantity of bivalve shell- 
fish, ( area scapha ? *) so that we had not only 
* Lamarck, tom. vi. part 1. p. 42. Chemn, Conch. 7. p. 201. 
t. 55, f. 548. 
