Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/381

 comTs o AUSTtr 319 af the plants that were. growing upon' it. Whilst ism,. meditating upon the propriety of landing so o near to the natives, whose conduct we had al- ready some mason to suspect, a dog, which we' Ired before seen with them, came from behind a bush near the water's edge, and walked up to its knees in the water towards us; the boat was backed in, and we endeavoured to entice it wit_hin attr reach by throwing some food; but the animal, upon discovering that we were strangers, be* me shy, and, after smelling about, ran back to- wards a bush about fifty yards off; from which the natives, who had all the time been concealed behind it, rushed out, and with loud shouts ran towards us: upon reaching the water's edge, they threw several stones, one of which nearly struck the boat; they then prepared their spears, when it was found necessary to deter them by firing a musquet over their heads; the noise of which had the desired effect; for, struck with a sudden panic at the report which echoed through the trees, they turned and fled; and, as they scam- pered off, two more bahs were fired over them, which, if possible, increased the rapidity of their tiight, until the trees concealed them from our view; after this we neither heard nor saw any thing more of them.

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