"At 7 A.M. left the head of Fresh Water River having in vain looked for some of the crowned birds, and having been able to shoot nothing (a few ducks excepted), having proceeded down the river, and being nearly half-way on board he observed a fire lighted on the beach between Crownhead and the entrance of the River and thinking it could be nothing but natives he immediately put back to prove this. As the boat approached the beach these blacks were perceived sitting in the same form as those of Sydney, and each of them had a bundle of spears in their hands. Our people hallowed them which they instantly answered and did not seem at all alarmed on the nearer approach of the boat, three boys made their appearance. As between the beach and the boat there lay a bank of mud about 200 yards across, Mr. Bowen could not get quite so close as he could wish, however, he singly got out and began to walk towards them, which when they perceived, they jumped upon their feet and it was now perceived that one of them was a very old man with a large bushy beard and the rest of his face besmeared with red ochre. The others were young men. They were all clothed with the skins of oppossums as far as their middle, and this old man seemed to have command over the others. As Mr. Bowen advanced they all pulled off their dress and made signs to the officer that before he came any nearer he must do the same; this was immediately complied with. "They then all sat down again and Mr. Bowen, plucking a root of fern, advanced pretty close to them holding it up; they seemed to understand it as it was meant. When he got within a few yards of this party the old man seemed rather uneasy and began to handle his spears. Mr. Bowen then threw them a tomahawk, and one of the young men picked it up; on Mr. Bowen beckoning them to sit down, he doing the same, they again threw him back the tomahawk, and all except the old man sat down. Mr. Bowen then broke a piece of stick and cut it with the tomahawk and tyed a handkerchief to it and again reached it to them; on this, one of the young men ventured to reach his hand and take it out of the officer's but would by no means be so familiar as to shake hands. Mr. Bowen then ate some bread and then gave them some which they did not eat, but carefully laid it by under some fern roots or leaves; on getting some ducks they took no other notice of them than to examine in what manner they were killed, what their ideas on that head were we know not as they did not take the least notice of our firearms even when, towards the latter end of the parley, it was found necessary to point one at the breast of the old man who all along was very suspicious of our designs.