Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/170

 ]'l SURVEY 01- TR'R INTI.RqROPIC, AL s& the sea,. for-their-timidity would not let them a,y. ?; approach us near. enough to place it inour hands, but that containing the fruit, not being buoyant enough to swim, did not permit of this method, so that, after much difrxdty, an old man was persuaded to deliver it; This was done in the most cautious manner, and as soon as he was sufficiently near the boat he dropped, or rather threw the basket into my hnnd and immediately retreated to his COml)nnions, who applauded his feat by a loud shout of approbation. In exchange for this I offered him a tomahawk, but his fears would not allow hinl to come near the boat to receive it. Finding nothing could induce the old man to approach us a second time, I threw it towards him, and upoq. his catching it the whole ribe began to shout and laugh in the most extravng't way. As soon as they were quiet we made signs for the theodollte stand, which, for a long while, they would not un- derstand; at one time they pretended.to think .by our pointing towards it, that we meant some spears that were lying near a tree, which they immediately removed: the stand was then taken up by one of their women, and upon our pointing to her, they feigned to think that she was the object of our wishes, .and immediately left a female standing up to her middle in the water

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