privilege. Kindling their fires close to our tents, they seemed to have
taken up their quarters for the night. The weather had appeared to
threaten rain, and as they all departed about ten o'clock, it was
attributed to the circumstance of their being without shelter; and we
expected a friendly visit from them in the morning. From this station,
Blackhead bore N. 197.; and the island off Sugarloaf Point, N. 70. E.
The peak over the north entrance into Port Stephens, N. 211.

October 31.--The rain of the night still continuing in the morning,
and the tide not being sufficiently low to let us pass round the head,
we did not set off so early as usual. Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans had
gone to bathe near the point, and within one hundred and fifty yards
of the tent. Mr. Evans had already bathed and had began to dress
himself, when four natives, whom we recognised as being among those
whom we had treated so kindly yesterday, made their appearance with
their spears in their hands, in the attitude of throwing them from
the cliffs above. There was scarcely time to parley with them, when
a spear was thrown at Mr. Evans, Dr. Harris having leaped down the
rock into the sea, and escaped to the tent under its shelter. The
spear fortunately missed Mr. Evans, and he likewise escaped with the
loss of his clothes, by following the doctor's example. On the alarm
being given they were pursued, but they had disappeared among the
brush on the hill. This instance of their treachery redoubled our
circumspection, and our situation here being favourable for their
attacks, I determined to pass over the brow of the hill with the
horses--a road which from its extreme steepness, I had been willing
to avoid by waiting for the tide; and orders were given to collect
the horses and proceed on our route. Whilst this was doing, and as
I was sitting in the tent with Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans writing
this Journal, a shower of spears from the height above was thrown at the