Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/169

 us to land, which we should have done, had ll, .; it not been that the noises they made soon 'y l, collected a large body of natives, who came running from all directions to their assistance; and, in a short time, there were twenty-eight or thirty natives assembled. Afar a short parley with them, in which they repeatedly asked for axes by imitating the action of chopping, we went on board, intimating to them our intention of returning with some, which we would give to them upon the restoration of the stand, which they immediately understood. and assented to. The natives had three dogs with them. On our return to the beach, the natives had again assembled, and shouted loudly as we ap- proached. Besides the whale boat, in which Mr. Bedwell was stationed with an armed party ready to fire if any hostility commenced, we had our jolly-boat, in which I led the way with two men, and carried with me two toma- hawks and some chisels. On pulling near the beach the whole party came down and waded. into the water towards us.; and, in exchange for a few chisels and files, gave us two baskets, one containing fresh water and the other was full of the fruit of the sago-t_!, which grows here in great abundance. The basket containing tha water was conveyl to us by letting it float on