Page:Narrativeavoyag01wilsgoog.djvu/105

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PRUDENT CONDUCT OF CAPTAIN BARKER.
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old man, named Wooloogary, the Chief of Croker's Island, to whom they seemed to pay great attention. After remaining at the settlement about an hour, and partaking of some rice, Captain Barker made Wooloogary a present of a tomahawk, and all the natives departed, very quietly and peaceably, before the sun went down.

I think it is very probable, that this considerable assemblage of the natives was formed to give some weight to the request of having their countryman liberated. Perhaps it was their intention to act with hostility, if the request were not acceded to; however this may be, Luga having been set free, they made it appear that their visit was intended in good part, and so it was received.

Captain Barker had a great deal of difficulty to contend with, in his method of treating the natives; as no other individual in the settlement could be brought to consider these poor beings in any other light than wild beasts. Those who had to work in the bush, conscious, perhaps, of their own conduct, were occasionally under great alarm, not being entrusted with fire-arms. Several times they were frightened, but never received any injury,—the natives wishing to be on friendly terms.

It happened, one day, that Miago came suddenly on a sawyer, named Carr, who was employed in his vocation at some distance from the settlement. Although thunderstruck by the unexpected visit, Carr