COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
219 
vicinity of the tent. We saw no natives until 1819. 
Sunday the 4th , when two, whose faces were not 
familiar to us, came down to the end of the dry 
sand opposite the cutter and beckoned for us: 
they had paddled across from the mangroves at 
the back of the port to the low sandy point that 
forms the west end of the long north sandy beach, 
behind which they had left their canoe. Mr. 
Bedwell was sent to them in our largest boat, 
but on his approaching them, and being within 
ten yards of the beach, they started and ran off 
with considerable speed towards their canoe. 
When about half way to it they stopped, and, 
upon looking back and observing that they were 
not pursued, beckoned again. Upon seeing this 
manoeuvre, it was suspected that they might have 
a strong party concealed at the back of the point, 
to which they were anxious to decoy our people ; 
the boat was therefore called alongside, and 
armed, and again sent after them. By this time 
they had embarked in their canoe, and were 
paddling with all their strength towards the man- 
groves on the opposite shore, pursued by our 
boat until it was stopped by the shoals in the 
river ; the natives, however, easily shoved their 
canoe over it with poles, and soon arrived at the 
opposite bank, where they were met by several 
other natives, all of whom immediately retired 
