n THEIR land, THEIR wild animals, and THEIR rights
generally. In their untutored state they therefore consider that any
method of getting rid of the invader is proper. Both sexes, as Cook
observed, are absolutely nude, and lead a wandering life, with no fixed
abode, subsisting on roots, fruits, and such living things as they can
catch. Nevertheless, although treated by the coarser order of colonists
as wild beasts to be extirpated, those who have studied them have formed
favourable opinions of their intelligence. The more savage side of their
disposition being, however, so very apparent, it is not astonishing that,
brought into contact with white settlers, who equally consider that they
have a right to settle, the aborigines are rapidly disappearing.)

I shall conclude the account of this Country with a few observations on
the Currents and Tides upon the Coast, because I have mentioned in the
Course of this Journal that the latter hath sometimes set one way and
sometimes another, which I shall Endeavour to account for in the best
manner I can. From the Latitude of 32 degrees, or above downwards to
Sandy Cape in the Latitude of 24 degrees 46 minutes, we constantly found
a Current setting to the Southward at the rate of 10 or 15 Miles per Day,
more or less, according to the distance we were from the land, for it
runs stronger in shore than in the Offing. All this time I had not been
able to satisfy myself whether the flood-tide came from the Southward,
Eastward, or Northward, but judged it to come from the South-East; but
the first time we anchor'd upon the coast, which was in the Latitude of
24 degrees 30 minutes, and about 10 Leagues to the South-East of Bustard
Bay, we found there the flood to come from the North-West. On the
Contrary, 30 Leagues further to the North-West, on the South side of
Keppel Bay, we found the Flood to come from the East, and at the Northern
part of the said Bay we found it come from the Northward, but with a much
Slower Motion than the Easterly Tide. Again, on the East side of the Bay
of Inlets we found the flood to set strong to the Westward as far as the
Op'ning of Broad sound, but on the North side of that sound the flood
come with a Slow motion from the North-West; and when at Anchor before
Repulse bay we found the flood to come from the northward. We need only
admit the flood tide to come from the East or South-East, and then all
these seeming Contradictions will be found to be conformable