Volume I Part 15 (2/2)

As we required another station on the west end of Bathurst Island, I arranged that we should pass the night in a small cove near its south-eastern extreme; here we found several native habitations of a totally different and very superior description to any we had hitherto seen in any part of Australia; they bore a marked resemblance to those I had seen on the South-East coast of Tierra del Fuego, which was so striking as to be reed to the Beagle in her wanderings on that storh for huts--for so indeed they deserve to be terether conically at the roof; a stout thatching of dried grass completely excluded both wind and rain, and seemed to bespeak the existence of a clirees 6 minutes south, would lead one to anticipate The rereased bark pillow, a head ornaether with several other trifling articles, strewn upon the floors of these ams, proved that they had been very recently inhabited

NATIVE RAFT

But perhaps thediscovery in this bay, was a native raft, which we found near the beach, in such a position as must have required the exertions of severalheavier than either of our boats

In the construction of this raft, al had been left to nature It was frarove tree, with three distinct ste, and 4 1/2 broad The roots at one end closely entwined, as is the habit of the tree, formed a sufficient bulwark at the stem, while an elbow in the centre of the trunk, served the same purpose at the stern: a platforave a sufficient flooring to this rude specihts to carry ress of huenuity by the advance of which, the sa of the single tree, at length shapes a forest into ti fortress in triumph on the deep!

RETURN TO PORT USBORNE

We were now about 40 miles in a direct line fro course ere obliged to follow; only two days' provisions remained, and as ere still deficient of o, I was reluctantly obliged to abandon the idea of atte to reach Collier Bay ThePort Usborne,in depth froeneral trend is East-South-East; many islets skirt their shores, and almost more than can be counted fill their rey of thewe left Bathurst Island, on our return to the southward Whilst passing inside the cluster of isles of slate for in the direction from whence it proceeded, a native was observed on a raft: the boat's course was immediately altered so as to cut hireat surprise he paddled towards us with all possible haste

THE NATIVE YAMPEE

He was soon alongside, and with great satisfaction we at once recognized our strange friend of yesterday, who aain raphy, and after repeating it several tierly accepted, twice einally held 4 pounds of preservedthe word the natives of these parts use for water

At Swan River, the native naab-by, which differs so much as to lead us to suppose the dialect of the two places is quite distinct

This supposition is also borne out by the fact, that Miago, the native of Swan River we had on board, could never understand the language spoken by his country's Sound We found our new acquaintance as yesterday, perfectly naked, the raft he was on was in every respect siht exception, that between each pole several s of the raft alest pole, six long pegs were driven, for a kind of basket in which were secured hisfire; they consisted of two pieces of white flint, and some tinder rudely manufactured fro a short spear, sharp at each end, and struck the water alternately on either side; in this primitive manner he contrived to make ith a rapidity that astonished us all He had two spears on the raft, besides the one he used for paddling; one of theh not barbed; and a s at birds, and sns, it appeared that he had been anxiously waiting our arrival, and had pushed off fro Bathurst Island We threw him a line, and he immediately co fast to the raft; an instance of confident reliance upon our good intentions, which reflected much credit upon the unsuspicious openness of his own character, and which I should have exceedingly regretted by any act of ours to abuse

PARTING WITH THE NATIVE

Had not the distance and our scant supply of food, rendered such a step ilad to have towed him to the shi+p I really believe he would have trusted hier distance; but this could not be, and therefore, after endeavouring to make him understand that we should sleep soer boat, alluding to the shi+p, we filled his basket with bread, gave hi hiet the sorrowful expression of his countenance, when this apparently inhospitable act was perforard for his new friends, for so long as we could see hi in our wake I noticed that the beads given hione; this fact, coupled with the s the day, satisfied hbourhood, to whom I hoped he would report favourably of his new acquaintances; we had certainly endeavoured to obtain his goodwill Sie, farewell!

NATIVE SPEARS

The woodcut represents the difference between the spear used by the natives of this district and those of Swan River

We soon reached Whirlpool Channel, through which the tide again hurried and whirled us with alhtful rapidity; ere in one part of it shot down a fall of several feet, the boat's bow being fairly buried in the boiling current E from this channel the hoary face of the remarkable headland already described, burst on our view; and as it was necessary if possible to reach its summit, we landed in a s a winding ravine we gained the crest of this singular platforrained sandstone, with soher parts, over which was a slight sprinkling of vegetation, consisting of a few srass The weather was unusually cloudy, with squalls fro it was fine with a moderate breeze from East-South-East As it was late e reached the boat, we spent the night where we landed

March 27

We were early on the looood deal of sea in the er bays As the day closed we reached a cove half a ht

March 28

This ht, which gave us the novel sensation of cold It was late in the forenoon before the violent ripplings at Tide-Race Point had subsided sufficiently to allow of our passing it The rate of the current at this point appeared at ti a rocky ledge, extending to some islands, and nearly dry at loater, rendered it alh tide

CASCADE BAY

In the afternoon we reached the cascade discovered on our way to the northward, and from which the bay within which it is received its nah enjoyment of a treat so rare, as this beautiful streamwe continued our return to Port Usborne, by a channel leading froe sheet of water first seen froress was arrested at its inner entrance by the violence hich the tide rushed through, and ere therefore obliged to pass another night in the boats