rds them when they instantly put everything out of their
hands and would not appear to take notice of anything that we had given
them. After throwing a few more beads and nails on shore I made signs for
them to go to the ship, and they likewise made signs for me to land, but
as this could not be effected I left them, in hopes of a nearer interview
at the watering-place.

When they first came in sight they made a prodigious clattering in their
speech and held their arms over their heads. They spoke so quick that I
could not catch one single word they uttered. We recollected one man whom
we had formerly seen among the party of the natives that came to us in
1777, and who is particularised in the account of Captain Cook's last
voyage for his humour and deformity. Some of them had a small stick, two
or three feet long, in their hands, but no other weapon.

Their colour, as Captain Cook remarks, is a dull black: their skin is
scarified about their shoulders and breast. They were of a middle
stature, or rather below it. One of them was distinguished by his body
being coloured with red ochre, but all the others were painted black with
a kind of soot which was laid on so thick over their faces and shoulders
that it is difficult to say what they were like.

They ran very nimbly over the rocks, had a very quick sight, and caught
the small beads and nails which I threw to them with great dexterity.
They talked to us sitting on their heels with their knees close into
their armpits and were perfectly naked.

In my return towards the ship I landed at the point of the harbour near
Penguin Island, and from the hills saw the water on the other side of the
low isthmus of Cape Frederick Henry, which forms the bay of that name. It
is very extensive and in, or near, the middle of the bay there is a low
island. From this spot it has the appearance of being a very good and
convenient harbour.

The account which I had from Brown, the botanist's assistant, was that in
his search for plants he had met an old man, a young woman, and two or
three children. The old man at first appeared alarmed, but became
familiar on being presented with a knife. He nevertheless sent away the
young woman who went very reluctantly. He saw some miserable wigwams, in
which were nothing but a few kangaroo skins spread on the ground, and a
basket made of rushes.

Among the wood that we cut here we found many scorpions and centipedes,
with numerous black ants that