was rather a confined anchorage, to be taken up at that hour with five
ships. Our arrival was under rather singular circumstances. The night
being dark, we could not make out even the outline of the high rocky
island, which appeared one dark mass; and the meeting of the land and sea
was only occasionally distinguished by patches of white, where the water
broke against the steep rocky sides of the island. Not a sound came from
the shore as we drew near our berth; but no sooner did the heavy splash
of the anchor, and the noise of the cable running out, resound among the
heights, than one loud yell of startled natives seemed to rise from one
end of the island to the other. The discharge of a signal rocket,
however, that curved its flight over the island, instantaneously quieted
the uproar, and a death-like silence succeeded.

NATIVES OF TORRES STRAIT.

In the morning we found that the island was occupied by a party of
natives from Torres Strait. Their canoes, which were furnished with
outriggers, were hauled up on the beach, and their spears were deposited
in the bushes around, ready for immediate use; but, although they seemed
to suspect our friendly intentions towards them at first, no disturbance
occurred, and some were prevailed upon to come on board. Their presence
forcibly reminded us of the melancholy fate of the crew of the Charles
Eaton; and no doubt they had come to the southward on a wrecking
expedition. They were a much finer race of men, than those met with on
the shores of the continent; their voices sounded softer, and their
language appeared quite different. They instantly recognized the drawing
of a Murray Island canoe, in Flinders' Voyage, and constantly kept
repeating the word toolic, meaning iron, in the Murray Island language.
The lobe of their ears was perforated with a large piece of bone; and
their hair was like that which I have before described as crisp. I