Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/55

] perceptible tremulous movement at each extremity, when he darted it forward near a hundred paces. The weapon, supported throughout its whole length by the column of air beneath it, flew in a tolerably horizontal direction more than three fourths of the distance. The tremulous motion impressed on it contributed, unquestionably, to accelerate its progress, and to support it longer in the air.

The savage was very ready to gratify our wishes, by launching his spear several times following. He then aimed at an object, which we pointed out to him, and every time was near enough to it, to give us a high idea of his skill. Presently after another showed us two holes in a kangarou's skin, which had been made apparently with the point of a spear, giving us thus to understand, that they employed this weapon to kill these animals. In reality, they launched it with sufficient force to pierce the animal through and through.

At length we parted with our new guides, whose pace was sufficiently slow for us to follow them with ease. It seemed as if they were not accustomed to take a long walk without interruption: for we had scarcely been half an hour on our way, before they invited us to sit down, saying mèdi; and we immediately stopped. This halt lasted but a few minutes, when they rose, saying