Had the tide been falling when the vessel struck, instead of the reverse, our situation must have been attended with more serious damage, if not our total loss; and therefore, comforted by an ideal security, we consoled ourselves under our comparatively good fortune.
July 21.
The next day was spent in watering, getting provisions to hand in the hold, and refitting some temporary damage to the rigging.

Mr.Hunter and Mr.Cunningham ranged about the vicinity of the shore whilst Mr.Roe, with a boat's crew, was employed in filling our empty water-casks from a gully at the back of the beach.
Soon after the watering-party commenced their work some shrill voices were heard near them among the trees: in a short time two natives made their appearance and were easily persuaded to approach.

They were unarmed, and communicated with confidence, and apparently were disposed to be friendly; one of them gave Mr.Roe a fishing-line spun and twisted of strips of bark, to the end of which was attached a hook made from a turtle-shell.
Our gentlemen revisited the shore in the afternoon but without seeing the natives.

In wandering about they discovered some stumps of trees close to the beach that bore marks of having been felled with a sharp instrument; and near some huts they found several strips of canvas lying on the ground, from which it would appear that the place had recently been visited by Europeans.
July 22.
I landed the next morning with a theodolite in order to obtain some bearings from the summit of the hill over the beach, but my intention was frustrated by a visit from the natives, five of whom made their appearance upon the hills as the boat arrived at the shore.

The party consisted of three men and two boys: one of the men carried a spear, another had a boomerang* of a smaller size but otherwise similar to that which the Port Jackson natives use; and the boys each carried a short branch of a tree in their hands: they met us halfway and allowed us to approach with our muskets, a circumstance which dispelled all suspicion of any unfriendly feeling towards us; nor do I think any did exist when we first met.
(*Footnote.