Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/265

 they ap to possess was a bracelet of plaited hair, worn round the upper arm. An open wicker basket, neatly and even tastefully made of strips of the )tagl/ar/a/nd/ca, was ob- tained from one of them by Mr. Roe, in which they carry their food and fishing lines; besides which each native has his gourd, the fruit of the cucurbita lagsmaria, which grows plentifully on all parts of the beach, and furnishes a very usefid vessel to these simple savages for the purpose of carrying water. At the north-east end of the sandy beach a fine. stream was noticed, from which water might with facility be obtained. Near this stream Mr. Cun- ningham observed several of their ovens, similar to those used by the natives of Ta-hei-te. A circular hole is dug, at the bottom of which is placed a layer of fiat stones, on which, after they have been heated by fire, the meat is placed; this is covered by another layer of stones, and over them they make a fire, which very soon cooks their repast. In short, the natives of this bay seem to be much more ingenious, and to under- stand better what is usefid than the generality of their countrymen*. The next morning we left Rockingham Bay; passage toCeylon, in 1815, commuuiced with these natives; they eane on bom'd his vessel and conducted themselves in an' amicable
 * Lieutenant Jeffreys, of the Kngaroo, armed transport, on Ms

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