COASTS OP AUSTRALIA. 
141 
the natives went away for the night, they se- 1821. 
parated into several groups, not more than three Dec. 31. 
or four going together, and these generally re- 
turned in company the next morning by the same 
path which they had taken when they left us: 
they also arrived at different times, and some 
evidently came from a distance greater than 
others, for they were later in arriving, and al- 
ways took their leave at an earlier hour. 
With the exception of one or two petty thefts 
besides the one above-mentioned of which se- 
rious notice was taken, and an attempt to steal 
a hat from one of the boys, when he was by him- 
self on the Oyster Bank, our communication with 
these people was carried on in the most friendly 
manner. Mr. Cunningham was, to their know- 
ledge, on shore every day attended only by his 
servant, but none, excepting Jack, followed him 
after they had ascertained the intention of his 
walk, and observed the care that he took to avoid 
going near their habitations, for which they 
evinced a great dislike ; one of their encampments 
was about a mile and a half off, but, curious as 
we naturally were to witness their mode of liv- 
ing, and to see the females and children of their 
tribe, we never succeeded in persuading them 
to allow us to gratify our curiosity. On one 
occasion it was necessary to lay a hedge anchor 
