Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; with an Account of the Coasts and Rivers; Explored and Surveyed During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in The; Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners; Of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits; To the Islands in the Arafura SeaStokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; with an Account of the Coasts and Rivers; Explored and Surveyed During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in The; Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners; Of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits; To the Islands in the Arafura Sea
Stokes, John Lort
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia
to be observed the slightest trace of indecency.
(*Footnote. See the accompanying lithographic impression of the copies
made by Captain Wickham of the native drawings on Depuch Island.)
During our stay we did not see any of the natives on the island; but on
the main several of them were observed, though they would not allow us to
communicate, moving off as soon as any attempt was made to get near them
in the boats. On one occasion, when Mr. Fitzmaurice, in a whaleboat, was
examining a part of the coast to the eastward of Depuch Island, he
entered a creek, which soon, however, became too confined by the
mud-banks for them to use the oars.
HOSTILITY OP THE NATIVES.
While in this position a shout attracted his attention, and he perceived
a party of natives, armed with spears approaching the boat, with evident
hostile designs. They of course naturally looked upon us as intruders;
and as the point was not worth contesting, the creek being of no
importance, Mr. Fitzmaurice thought it better to withdraw, rather than
run the risk of a collision that could have led to no beneficial results.
TOM'S TERROR OF THEM.
The native youth we had brought with us from Swan River did not at all
approve of these excursions. He was generally taken, with a view of
giving confidence to any of his wild countrymen who might be encountered;
but he exhibited the greatest possible repugnance to this service. His
terror for the northern men fully equalled that of Miago, from whom
doubtless he had received the most terrific accounts. It was only by
giving him a gun that he could be at all induced to go. He evidently felt
himself more secure with European arms than with his own rude ones; and
appeared to have learnt their superiority by experience, for he was a
very fair shot. When I first asked him why he did not prefer his spear,
his simple reply was, "Can't look out;" meaning that the northern men
could not see the contents of a gun coming, whereas if a spear were
hurled at them they could avoid it. His bravery was of much the same
complexion as that of Miago; and he threatened magnanimously to inflict
the most condign punishment on the fellows who opposed Mr. Fitzmaurice's
landing. He had a strong impression that these northern people were of
gigantic stature; and in the midst of the silent and gaping interest with
which he listened to Mr. Fitzmaurice's account of his adventure, the
words big fella often escaped from his lips; and he appeared quite
satisfied when assured that his opinion was correct.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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