I had hoped that thus they would not be frightened, but they instantly began to move towards the shore, and it required some manoeuvring to get near them; succeeding at length, however, I found my acquaintance of the morning anxious to go to the ship, a measure the other two did not at all approve of, as they kept edging away towards the land, whilst I gave the old man the presents I had brought him. At one time the dinghy got between the canoe and the shore, when instantly a gleam of terror flashed across the faces of the young men. One of them was a large square-headed fellow of ferocious aspect, whose countenance was lit up by a look of fierce revenge, as the canoe made towards the land, after I had ceased my endeavours to entice them on board. Whatever these people may have imagined to be our motive in wishing them to visit the ship, I little thought that my pressing them would have so nearly led to fatal results. I shall proceed to explain this remark by relating the startling circumstances from which Escape Cliffs received their name. NARROW ESCAPE OF MR. FITZMAURICE. A few days after my interview in the dinghy with the natives, Mr. Fitzmaurice went ashore to compare the compasses. From the quantity of iron contained in the rocks, it was necessary to select a spot free from their influence. A sandy beach at the foot of Escape Cliffs was accordingly chosen. The observations had been commenced, and were about half completed, when on the summit of the cliffs, which rose about twenty feet above their heads, suddenly appeared a large party of natives with poised and quivering spears, as if about immediately to deliver them. Stamping on the ground, and shaking their heads to and fro, they threw out their long shaggy locks in a circle, whilst their glaring eyes flashed with fury as they champed and spit out the ends of their long beards.* They were evidently in earnest, and bent on mischief. (*Footnote. A custom with Australian natives when in a state of violent excitement.) DANCING FOR LIFE. It was, therefore, not a little surprising to behold this paroxysm of rage evaporate before the happy presence of mind displayed by Mr. Fitzmaurice, in immediately beginning to dance and shout, though in momentary expectation of being pierced by a dozen spears. In this he was imitated by Mr. Keys, who was assisting in the observations, and who at the moment was a little distance off, and might have escaped. Without, however, thinking of himself, he very nobly joined his companion in amusing the natives; and they succeeded in diverting them from their evident evil designs, until a boat landing in a bay near drew off their attention. The foremost of this party was recognised to be the ill-looking fellow, who left me in the canoe with a revengeful scowl upon his face.