Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/455

 COASTS OF .us'rR,,..s,. 393 and were, doubtless, deterred from attacking so. him, by witnessing the destructive effects of his gun among a flight of cockatoos, five or six of which he brought away, and leR as many more hopping about the grass wounded, and making the woods re-echo 'with' their screams. When Mr. Hunt er parted from Mr. loe, the natives remained to watch the latter gentleman; and no sooner had he discharged his gun; which they found was of'no use until it was reloaded,-than they commenced their attack; and from the known dexterity of the natives of this country in throwing the spear, it was not a little surprising that they missed him so repeatedly. Before we embarked for the night, I walked with Mr. Roe to the plac where he was at- tacked, in order to look for the spears that 'had been thrown at him, and for the cartridges he had lost; but as. neither were found, we .were revengeful enough to hope that the natives would burn their fingers with the powder, an event- not at all unlikely to occur, from their ignorance of the dangerous effect of placing the cartridges near the fire, which they would he sure to do. During our visit 'we were fortunate in having very fine weather; and altho6gh it was very hazy, we did not experience that excessive heat which from tho advanced state of the season,

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