COASTS OF AUSTRALIA, 
149 
them belonged to the tribe that lived on the op- is22. 
posite shore, but how they had crossed over was Jan, 2 
not satisfactorily ascertained. Their wonder on 
this their last visit was much raised by our firing 
off a nine-pounder, loaded with shot, the splash of 
which in the water caused the greatest astonish- 
ment, and one of them was extremely vehement 
and noisy in explaining it to his companions. 
Upon repeating this exhibition they paid particu- 
lar attention to the operation of loading the gun, 
and expressed the greatest surprise at the weight 
of the ball, upon which, after they had all seve- 
rally examined it, they held a long and wordy ar 
gument as to what it possibly could be. At the 
splash of the ball, for which they were all looking 
out, they expressed their delight by shouting 
in full chorus the words — Cai, cai, cai, cai, caigh. 
After this they were sent on shore. 
At daybreak the next morning an opportunity 3, 
offered to cross the sound, and by eight o’clock 
the brig was anchored under Seal Island ; upon 
which we commenced the repair of the rigging, 
and in the course of the day shifted the main 
top-mast. We had left the anchorage on the other 
side of the sound too early for our friends the 
natives, who had promised last evening to bring 
us a hawk’s nest, that was built upon a rock 
near the watering-place ; at ten o’clock a very 
