An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk IslandHunter, John
History
An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island
Hunter, John
New South Wales -- History -- Sources
On our speaking to her, she raised herself up, and sat on the
ground with her knees up to her chin, and her heels under her,
and was at that moment, I think, the most miserable spectacle in
the human shape I ever beheld*: the little infant could not be
prevailed on to look up; it lay with its face upon the ground,
and one hand covering its eyes. We supplied her, as before, with
birds, fish, and fuel, and pulled a quantity of grass to make her
a comfortable bed, and covered her little miserable hut so as to
keep out the weather: she was now so reconciled to our frequent
visits, seeing we had nothing in view but her comfort in them,
that when she wanted _baa-do_, or _ma-gra_, which
signifies fish, she would ask for them, and when she did, it was
always supplied her: in the morning we visited her again; the
child had now got so much the better of its fears, that it would
allow us to take hold of its hand; I perceived, that young as it
was, it had lost the two first joints of its little finger, of
the left-hand, the reason or meaning of which we had not yet been
able to learn.
[* See the Vignette in the Title Page.]
We gave her all the fish we had remaining, and having put a
quantity of fire-wood and water within her reach, we took our
leave. We embarked in the boats, and sailed across the bay to the
north branch, which has a very shoally and narrow entrance. We
proceeded but a small distance up, before we landed on the west
shore and refreshed ourselves; after which we rowed round the
first opening on the east side; this we followed up until we came
to its head. It is very shallow and narrow, and ended in a large
bason, full of shoals, and surrounded with mangroves; it extended
near four miles to the north and eastward.
When we returned from this branch, we pitched our tents on the
west shore for the night, and early the next morning we proceeded
to the northward: in this route we fell in with many shoals of
considerable extent; and after rowing about six or seven miles
up, we arrived at the head of it, which divides into two large
bays, in one of which I observed the latitude to be 33 deg. 26'
30" south. We returned from hence to a point near the entrance of
this north harbour, where we encamped and spent the night; in
this harbour we did not see more than twenty natives, some few of
whom came and conversed with us.
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