t of the isles, and on two
of them were hawks' nests, raised to the height of four feet by an
accumulation of sticks, stones, and shells. This day there was but little
breeze; the thermometer ranged from 76 to 86 degrees.

COAST UNDER THE MENAI HILLS.

Saturday morning January 25.

Stood in close along the shore opposite to the Table Hill and the Menai
Hills, and examined the coast from the rigging. There are two openings of
rivers laid down in the chart, that to the south being the larger, and
both nearly abreast of Table Hill and only a few miles distant from one
another; and besides these Captain Grey had marked down in another chart
a considerable river, with a large estuary, close to the north of the
Menai Hills, which he had called the Hutt River. As we were just on that
part of the coast where all these are laid down we were the more anxious
and eager. We saw three openings on the west range, but in truth very
small, and after anchoring nearly opposite to the northern one we went in
the boat directly for it. There was a continuous sandy beach the whole
way across it, and the surf was running high, so that it was not very
easy to land.

LAND ON THE COAST.

Just as we were considering about how to effect a landing we observed a
number of natives on the hills and behind the beach, evidently watching
our motions. As we stood along the beach, looking for a landing-place,
they followed and became more bold; they shouted and made gestures, which
were certainly not like those of encouragement; but still as we pulled
on, they followed, till we counted forty-nine men, but they appeared to
have left their spears behind them. Finding this, we thought it well to
parley with them, when we backed in close to the shore, holding up our
hands making signs of peace, and calling out in the Swan River language
that we were friends and would give them bread. I flung apiece of biscuit
on the beach, and some waded into the water and threw in their fur belts
and other ornaments, when we commenced a system of barter immediately.
They had no spears and few throwing sticks; nor had they with them either
cloaks, or hammers, or shields, or any other weapon that we could see.
They seemed to like the bread very much, for they followed us for many
miles, still making signs to land, but the surf was so high we could not
venture in the face of so many of them. At last, having passed the
opening of the second river, and having come to a smooth