COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
203 
they appeared to possess was a bracelet of isi9. 
plaited hair, worn round the upper arm. An June 20. 
open wicker basket, neatly and even tastefully 
made of strips of the Jlagellaria indica, was ob- 
tained from one of them by Mr. Roe, in which 
they carry their food and fishing lines ; besides 
which each native has his gourd, the fruit of the 
cucurbita lagenaria, which grows plentifully on all 
parts of the beach, and furnishes a very useful 
vessel to these simple savages for the purpose 
of carrying water. 
At the north-east end of the sandy beach a fine 
stream was noticed, from which water might with 
facility be obtained. Near this stream Mr. Cun- 
ningham observed several of their ovens, similar 
to those used by the natives of Ta-hei-te. A 
circular hole is dug, at the bottom of which is 
placed a layer of flat stones, on which, after they 
have been heated by fire, the meat is placed; this 
is covered by another layer of stones, and over 
them they make a fire, which very soon cooks 
their repast. In short, the natives of this bay 
seem to be much more ingenious, and to under- 
stand better what is useful than the generality of 
their countrymen*. 
The next morning we left Rockingham Bay ; 2h 
* Lieutenant Jeffreys, of the Kangaroo, armed transport, on his 
passage to Ceylon, in 1815, communicated with these natives ; they 
came on board his vessel and conducted themselves in an amicable 
manner towards him. 
