Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
This friendly Indian had become a great favourite with us all and was
allowed to visit us whenever he chose and to do as he pleased; he always
wore the shirt that had been given to him on the first day and
endeavoured to imitate everything that our people were employed upon;
particularly the carpenter and the sailmaker at their work: he was the
only native who did not manufacture spears for barter, for he was
evidently convinced of the superiority of our weapons and laughed
heartily whenever a bad and carelessly-made spear was offered to us for
sale: for the natives, finding we took everything, were not very
particular in the form or manufacturer of the articles they brought to
us. He was certainly the most intelligent native of the whole tribe and
if we had remained longer would have afforded us much information of this
part of the country; for we were becoming more and more intelligible to
each other every day: he frequently accompanied Mr. Cunningham in his
walks and not only assisted him in carrying his plants but occasionally
added to the specimens he was collecting.
December 30.
The next morning (30th) the anchors were weighed and the warps laid out,
but from various delays we did not reach a birth sufficiently near the
bar to make sail from, until the water had fallen too much to allow our
passing it: the brig was therefore moored in the stream of the tide.
At eight o'clock the natives came down as usual and were much
disappointed in finding the brig moved from her former place. After the
vessel was secured the launch and jolly-boat were sent to the
watering-place in the outer bay, where the eastern party were assembled
with a bundle of spears, throwing-sticks, and knives, for barter. Upon
the return of the boats our friend Jack came on board and appeared
altogether so attached to us that some thoughts were entertained of
taking him on our voyage up the west coast if he was inclined to go. As
he did not want for intelligence there was not much difficulty in making
him understand by signs that he might go with us, to which he appeared to
assent without the least hesitation, but that it might be satisfactorily
ascertained whether he really wished to go it was intimated to him that
he should tell his companions of this new arrangement. Mr. Bedwell
accordingly took him on shore, and purchased all the spears the natives
had brought down, that, in case they should feel angry at his leaving
them, they might have no weapons to do any mischief with.
When Jack landed he instantly informed his companions of his intended
departure and pointed to the sea, to show whither he was going, but his
friends received the intelligence with the most careless indifference,
their attention being entirely engrossed with the barter that was going
on. After the spears were purchased Mr. Bedwell got into the boat
followed by Jack, who seated himself in his place with apparent
satisfaction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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