t 2' south and 11' east of its
position in captain Cook's chart.]

In order to make some profit of this foul wind, Mr Bass landed early next
morning to examine the country, whilst I went with Mr Simpson to commence
a survey of Two-fold Bay. In the way from Snug Cove, through the wood, to
the long northern beach, where I proposed to measure a base line, our
attention was suddenly called by the screams of three women, who took up
their children and ran off in great consternation. Soon afterward a man
made his appearance. He was of a middle age, unarmed, except with a
_whaddie_, or wooden scimitar, and came up to us seemingly with careless
confidence. We made much of him, and gave him some biscuit; and he in
return presented us with a piece of gristly fat, probably of whale. This
I tasted; but watching an opportunity to spit it out when he should not
be looking, I perceived him doing precisely the same thing with our
biscuit, whose taste was probably no more agreeable to him, than his
whale was to me. Walking onward with us to the long beach, our new
acquaintance picked up from the grass a long wooden spear, pointed with
bone; but this he hid a little further on, making signs that he should
take it on his return. The commencement of our trigonometrical operations
was seen by him with indifference, if not contempt; and he quitted us,
apparently satisfied that, from people who could thus occupy themselves
seriously, there was nothing to be apprehended.

We measured 116 chains along the north beach, and having taken the
necessary angles, returned to Snug Cove for the purpose of observing the
latitude; but the thick squalls, which were continually passing over from
the south-west, prevented a sight of the sun. The survey was continued in
the afternoon; and on the following morning, 11 October, the wind being
still unfavourable, the west side of the bay was nearly completed.

I was preparing the artificial horizon for observing the latitude, when a
party of seven or eight natives broke out in exclamation upon the bank
above us, holding up their open hands to show they were unarmed. We were
three in number, and, besides a pocket pistol, had two muskets. These
they made no objection to our bringing, and we sat down in the midst of
the party. It consisted entirely of young men, who were better made, and
cleaner in their persons than the natives of Port Jackson usually are;
and their countenances bespoke both good will and curiosi