cient quantity they returned
on board when, as it was breakfast time, our visitors were sent onshore,
highly pleased with their reception and with the biscuit and pudding
which the people had given them to eat. They were very attentive to the
mixture of a pudding, and a few small dumplings were made and given to
them, which they put on the bars of the fireplace but, being too
impatient to wait until they were baked, ate them in a doughy state with
much relish.

Three new faces appeared on the east side, who were brought on board
after breakfast, and permitted to remain until dinner-time: one of them,
an old man, was very attentive to the sailmaker's cutting out a boat's
sail, and at his request was presented with all the strips that were of
no use. When it was completed a small piece of canvas was missing, upon
which the old man, being suspected of having secreted it, was slightly
examined, but nothing was found upon him; after this, while the people
were looking about the deck, the old rogue assisted in the search and
appeared quite anxious to find it; he however very soon walked away
towards another part of the deck and interested himself in other things.
This conduct appeared so suspicious that I sent the sailmaker to examine
the old man more closely, when the lost piece was found concealed under
his left arm, which was covered by the cloak he wore of kangaroo-skin.
This circumstance afforded me a good opportunity of showing them our
displeasure at so flagrant a breach of the confidence we had reposed in
them; I therefore went up to him and, assuming as ferocious a look as I
could, shook him violently by the shoulders. At first he laughed but
afterwards, when he found I was in earnest, became much alarmed: upon
which his two companions, who were both boys, wanted to go onshore; this
however was not permitted until I had made peace with the old man, and
put them all in good humour by feeding them heartily upon biscuit. The
two boys were soon satisfied; but the old man appeared ashamed and
conscious of his guilt; and although he was frequently afterwards with
us, yet he always hung down his head and sneaked into the background.

During the day the people were employed about the rigging, and in the
evening before sunset the natives were again admitted on board for half
an hour. In the afternoon Mr. Montgomery went to Green Island and shot a
few parrakeets and waterbirds, some of which he gave to the natives after
expla