hem to land: but I was now
convinced, that they only wanted us within their reach, no doubt
from an opinion that we had no fire arms, as they did not appear:
as soon as they thought that they could throw it with effect, a
lance was discharged, which passed about six feet over our heads;
I saw the lance in the air, and immediately snatched up my gun,
which, as they run off the moment they had shown their hostile
intention, I was determined to discharge amongst them, and should
probably have killed one of their number, if my gun had not
missed fire. Mr. Johnston, upon my gun having missed, immediately
discharged his into the bushes in which they had sheltered
themselves from our sight; but as it was charged only with small
shot, I think it could not have hurt any of them.

What reason they could have had for this treacherous kind of
conduct, I am wholly at a loss to guess, for nothing hostile or
mischievous had appeared on our part; on the contrary, the most
friendly disposition had been manifested in every thing we said
or did; even when their women took the alarm upon our approach, I
spoke to them, and made such signs of friendship as we judged
they would understand, and went round at a distance to prevent
their apprehension of any insult. It was perhaps fortunate that
my gun did not go off; as I was so displeased at their treachery,
that it is highly probable I might have shot one of them.

On comparing the accounts, which were taken by the different
boats employed upon this business, it appeared that we had
seen--Canoes 67--men 94--women 34--children 9,--which is by no
means a just account of the numbers who, at that time, lived in
and about this harbour; for I have since seen in one part of the
harbour more than that number.

On the 27th, the Supply tender arrived from Norfolk Island,
where she had been with a quantity of provisions and stores for
that settlement; she brought the melancholy account of the loss
of Mr. James Cunningham, and four others, who were drowned in the
surf, by their boat being overset in landing the stores from the
Supply; so exceedingly difficult of access is the shore of that
island, from an almost continual surf breaking on a reef which
encompasses the coast on that part where the settlement is
formed.

In this month a report prevailed in the settlement, which
seemed at first to gain some credit:--It was, that one
-Dailey_, a convict, had discovered a piece of ground,
wherein he had