red
from his alarm, I went up to him with a tomahawk, the use of which he
immediately guessed. We now observed that the natives who had fled from
the river, had been employed in setting a net. They had placed it in a
semicircle, with either end to the shore, and rude pieces of wood were
attached to it to keep the upper part perpendicular. It was in fact a
sein, only that the materials, with the exception of the net-work, were
simpler and rougher than cork or lead--for which last, we afterwards
discovered stones had been substituted.

We had on this occasion a remarkable instance of the docility of the
natives of the interior, or of the power they have of subduing their
apprehensions; manifesting the opposite extremes of fear and
confidence. These men whom we had thus surprised, and who, no doubt,
imagined that we were about to destroy them, having apparently never
seen nor heard of white men before, must have taken us for something
preternatural; yet from the extremity of fear that had prompted them to
set their woods in flames, they in a brief space so completely subdued
those fears as to approach the very beings who had so strongly excited
their alarm. The savage who had been the principal actor in the scene,
was an elderly man, rather descending to the vale of years than what
might be strictly called aged. I know not how it was, but I regarded
him with peculiar interest. Mr. Hume's manners had in a great measure
contributed to allay his evident agitation; but, from the moment I
approached him, I thought there was a shade of anxiety upon his brow,
and an expression of sorrow over his features, the cause of which did
not originate with us. I could see in a moment, that his bosom was full
even to bursting, and he seemed to claim at once our sympathy and our
protection, although we were ignorant of that which oppressed him. We
had not long been seated together, when some of his tribe mustered
sufficient courage to join him. Both Mr. Hume and I were desirous of
seeing the net drawn, but the old man raised some objection, by
pointing to the heavens and towards the sun. After a little more
solicitation, however, he gave a whistle, and, four or five natives
having obeyed the summons, he directed them to draw the net, but they
were unfortunate, and our wish to ascertain the kind of fish contained
in the river was disappointed. As his tribe gathered round him, the old
chief threw a melancholy glance upon them, and endeavoured,