Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia - Performed between the years 1818 and 1822 — Volume 1 by Phillip Parker King
page 83 of 378 (21%)
page 83 of 378 (21%)
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end of the sandy beach, before the natives showed themselves: the
longitude of Bottle Rock was subsequently determined to be 133 degrees 19 minutes 40 seconds.* (*Footnote. Vide Appendix A Section X.) April 6. We left South-west Bay on the 4th, and the following morning anchored in a bay on the west side of North Island, and on the 6th we commenced cutting our wood from a group of casuarinas that grew close to the beach. In the afternoon, when our party returned on board to dinner, some natives were perceived examining our wooding-place, but our late experience had taught us the precaution of bringing our tools away, to prevent any further occasion of quarrel. They did not stop long but walked on, as if they had some other object; at about forty yards farther they halted again, and concealing themselves as they thought behind a bank, they watched us for half an hour; after which they walked away and disappeared among the trees. April 7. On our revisiting the shore, we traced their steps through the grass, and came up with a shallow well containing fresh water, which they had evidently taken the opportunity of our absence to drink at. Upon further search we found their encampment; it consisted of three or four dwellings of a very different description from any that we had before, or have since seen: they were of a conical shape, not more than three feet high, and not larger than would conveniently contain one person; they were |
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