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
The agility this native exhibited in spearing fish was astonishing. In
shallow water he would actually course the fish till he got them within
spearing depth, when, although his prey darted past, he struck it with
the most surprising precision. The quiet, splashless manner in which he
ran through the water was really singular. When his spear required new
pointing, the sole of his foot was turned up and the spear's head pared
down upon it with a knife. When the latter was not to be procured the
teeth were made use of; and I may here remark that the constant use which
some savages make of their teeth may have much to do in producing the
projecting jaw. It seems almost evident to common sense that the constant
employment of the teeth must have a material effect in causing a change
in the facial angle.
ANCHORAGE AT DEPUCH ISLAND.
We found the anchorage at Depuch Island to form a tolerable port, being
protected from the north-east by one of the group, distant about three
miles, from which a reef extends to the West-North-West, leaving the
mouth of the harbour exposed only between North-West by North and
West-North-West. Our observations placed the centre of the sandy beach on
the north-east side of the island in latitude 20 degrees 37 minutes 47
seconds South and longitude 2 degrees 0 minutes 20 seconds West of Swan
River, variation 2 degrees westerly; and the time of high-water, at the
full and change, at half past ten, when the tide rose 15 feet, but only 5
during neaps.
NEW BIRD AND KANGAROO.
Although Depuch Island had been visited before, there still remained
something quite new to reward the diligent search that was made after
objects of natural history: namely, a small kind of kangaroo, a land
bird, and a shell, a species of Helix. The bird was shot by Mr. Bynoe; it
was a finch,* and beautifully marked with stripes of crimson down the
breast, on a black ground with white spots; the throat, and a patch round
the stump of the tail, were crimson. It is remarkable that all the beauty
and brilliancy of colour in this bird is underneath, the back being of a
common earthy brown.
(*Footnote. Named by Mr. Gould from this specimen, Emblema picta.)
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