arge round club walking
behind me, and uncomfortably near. Had I that club in my hand, I should
feel a little more comfortable. When on the beach we saw the canoes had
left the vessel, and were hurrying ashore; our boat was soon afloat,
still, we had some distance to go. I must have that club, or I fear that
club will have me. I had a large piece of hoop-iron, such as is highly
prized by the natives, in my satchel; taking it, I wheeled quickly round,
presented it to the savage, whose eyes were dazzled as with a bar of
gold. With my left hand I caught the club, and before he became
conscious of what was done I was heading the procession, armed as a
savage, and a good deal more comfortable. We got safely away.

From Fyfe Bay we went round to Meikle Bay, where I visited all the
villages, and was well received. Before landing I decided to walk
inland, and see for myself if there was no arm of the sea running up at
the back. The charts showed no such thing, but I felt sure, from the
formation of the land and the manner of clouds hanging over it, that
there must be a lake or some large sheet of water, and that there must be
considerable streams carrying off the water of the Lorne Range and Cloudy
Mountains, as no stream of any size came to the sea on the coast-side. I
got the chief of the village at the head of the bay and a large following
to show us the way. We travelled for some miles through good country,
and at last came out opposite a large sheet of water, stretching well up
towards Cloudy Mountain and away towards the head of Milne Bay. Seeing
the Stirling Range, I was able to take a few positions.

Our mate, who had his fowling-piece with him, saw a very pretty parrot on
a cocoanut tree. He approached until close under--the natives, about
forty in number, standing breathlessly round, and wondering what was
going to happen. Bang! Down dropped the parrot; a wail, hands to ears,
a shout, and we were left alone with the chief, who happened to be
standing close by me. Those natives only ceased running when they
reached their homes.

We visited several villages, and at sundown returned. In the dark we
travelled along the bed of a creek, passing small villages, whose
inhabitants were terribly alarmed, but none more so than our chief. Poor
fellow, he _was_ frightened. How nimbly he ascended his platform on our
arrival at his house, where his two wives were crying, but now rejoiced
to see him in the body.