, so far
as we have had an opportunity of judging. The word they make use of in
bowing (which they did quite in an Eastern style) appeared to be irru
irru: their breasts were scarred with deep horizontal cuts, such as we
had previously noticed on the natives in Roebuck Bay. I was so much
struck with the resemblance between these people and the natives of
Tierra del Fuego, that I have been tempted to believe that the stream of
population flowed thitherward from the continent of America.

I ought to mention that when Captain Wickham and myself left the ship, in
the hope of inducing the natives to return with us, Miago, hearing of the
expected visit, immediately went below, and dressed himself to the best
possible advantage. No sooner did the boat come alongside, than he
appeared at the gangway, inquiring with the utmost possible dignity,
"where blackfellas?" and was evidently and deeply mortified that he had
no opportunity of astonishing the natives.

There has been a marked change in the weather, since the sun crossed the
equator: we have had no repetitions of the easterly squalls, before so
prevalent, and the winds have been almost regular in the following order.
From 3 P.M. to 1 A.M. a light breeze from South-South-West which
freshening alters to South-East where it remains till 8 A.M., from that
hour gradually decreasing, and at the same time changing to North-East
and North. The thermometer, for some days past has ranged from 72 to 89
degrees; a temperature which we thought a few months ago intolerable, was
now quite agreeable.

We looked forward with the utmost anxiety to the result of our arrival at
Port George the Fourth, as there, or at least in that neighbourhood, we
hoped to hear some tidings of our friends Grey and Lushington, who, when
we separated from them at the Cape, intended to land in Hanover Bay,
establish a depot for stores, and from thence penetrate if possible into
the interior.

THEIR PEACEABLE DISPOSITION.

I had no fear on the subject of any hostility from the natives, for in
our own experience, we had as yet always found them inoffensive and
peaceable; while should they prove otherwise, I was satisfied that a very
slight acquaintance with the effects of gunpowder would be quite
sufficient to quell their warlike propensities, but I did fear that they
had chosen a very unfavourable point for debarkation, and that many
causes would combine to arrest their progress into the interior. How
unhap