Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/152

94 rough chart, they instantly comprehended our employment, and without further hesitation, two of them came on board. The canoe was fitted for fishing; it was paddled by a man and five boys, and was steered by a younger man; who, from his dress and authority, appeared to be of some consequence amongst them. During their visit their curiosity was much excited by everything they saw; and, having drank pretty freely of our port wine, they talked incessantly. They remained with us three hours, during the greaterpart of which their canoe was absent catching fish. One of our visitors was very communicative, and by means of signs and a few words of the Malay language, which we understood, he explained that their Rajah's proa was armed with two small guns, and carried a compass. On looking at our binnacle, they pointed to the north-west rhumb, and made us easily understand that it was the course they always steered on their return to Macassar.

Upon mentioning the natives of the coast, and shewing them thestone-headed spear that we had found, they evinced their dislike to them very plainly,—they called them "Maregas," Marega being, as we afterwards found, their appellation for this part of the coast.

It was now growing late, and as the canoe had