That they have a right of soil, is quite evident. The land about the settlement belongs to Mokărē and his brethren.
Their food principally consists of fish, which they spear in shallow places, as they never venture above the knees in water, with their own will; and it is a strange and singular fact, that none of them swim. They have nothing in the shape of canoes; nor do they ever cross any river, except at the mouth, which is usually very shallow; or higher up, where a tree may have accidentally fallen across, and formed a bridge.
They also derive sustenance from kangaroos, iguanas, and, in the proper season, from young parrots, eggs, &c., and they seem to be fond of sucking the cones of various kind of banksia, which are in great abundance on this part of the coast.
They have been, and continue to be, on the best terms with the settlers, although it may appear, that they acted with hostility in the very beginning; but, by judicious management, the incipient storm was averted, and a good understanding and friendly feeling established, which has not yet been, nor likely to be, interrupted[1].
On Sunday, December the 20th, we got under weigh, and at noon left Princess Royal Harbour. Captain Barker accompanied us for some distance. He and I
- ↑ A few words of their language, which is much more guttural than that of the Aborigines of the north coast, will be found in the Appendix.
