ated ourselves on the
grass and commenced a conversation that was perfectly unintelligible to
each other, accompanied with the most ridiculous gestures, a species of
buffoonery that is always acceptable to the natives of this part of the
world, and on more than one occasion has been particularly useful to us.
An attempt was made to procure a vocabulary of their language, but
without success, for we were soon obliged from their impatience to give
it up. Not so easily, however, were they diverted from their object, for
every article of our dress, and everything we carried, they asked for
with the greatest importunity; our refusal disappointed them so much that
they could not avoid showing the hostile feelings they had evidently
begun to entertain towards us. Seeing this, I took an opportunity of
convincing them of our power, and after some difficulty persuaded the
native that carried the spear to throw it at a paper-mark placed against
a bush at the distance of twelve yards. He launched it twice, but, much
to his mortification, without striking the object. Mr. Hunter then fired
and perforated the paper with shot, which increased the shame that the
native and his companions evidently felt upon the occasion: Mr. Hunter
then killed a small bird that was skipping about the branches of an
overhanging tree; upon the bird being given to them, they impatiently and
angrily examined it all over, and particularly scrutinized the wound that
caused its death.

We now found that the proved superiority of our weapons, instead of
quieting them, only served to inflame their anger the more; and we were
evidently on the point of an open rupture. One of them seized the
theodolite-stand, which I carried in my hand, and I was obliged to use
force to retain it. They then made signs to Mr. Hunter to send his gun to
the boat; this was of course refused, upon which one of them seized it,
and it was only by wrenching it from his grasp that Mr. Hunter
repossessed himself of it.

Many little toys were now given to them, on receiving which their
countenances relaxed into a smile; and peace would perhaps have been
restored, had we not unfortunately presented them with a looking-glass,
in which they were, for the first time, witnesses of their hideous
countenances, which were rendered still more savage from the ill-humour
they were in. They now became openly angry; and in very unequivocal terms
ordered us away. Fortunately the Indian that carried the s