he traces of men and animals were very few, and but rarely met with in
the upper parts of this excursion; but Mr. Flinders found a new species
of pheasant, about the size of an English magpie. The emu was not seen,
although its voice had been so often heard, as to induce him to suppose
that bird must be numerous. The more inland part of the country was
something higher and better than in the neighbourhood of the salt water;
but no where did he meet with any that was calculated for the production
of wheat.

Having reached the sloop in the evening, as soon as the ebb tide
permitted, the following morning, Sunday the 28th, they got under weigh
to turn down the river, with the wind at SSE. There were many natives on
the shore abreast of them, who seemed particularly anxious to be visited,
dancing and singing to attract attention, and express their own
good-will; and, when they could not prevail upon our people to land.
followed the sloop along the banks, their hopes seeming to revive by the
trips which in tacking they occasionally made towards the shore.

The intricacy of the channels proving a great impediment to their
progress, they could not get out of the river in one tide, but anchored
about a mile short of the entrance. Three swans, that the boat caught in
coming down, made the number of eighteen which had been procured in this
river.

Shortly after anchoring, Mr. Flinders took some people with axes on shore
to cut a log of the pine* for the workmen at Port Jackson, who might
ascertain the kind and worth of the wood. There was a house and several
natives near the place, with whom Bong-ree was in conversation when the
tree fell, the crash and report of which startled them a good deal, and
might probably assist in giving them a higher idea of the power of their
visitors. These people were still very averse from the appearance or
approach of a musket, keeping a watchful eye upon their least movement.
The gallant and unsuspecting native, Bong-ree, made them a present of one
of his spears, and a throwing-stick, of which he showed them the use, for
they appeared to be wholly ignorant of the latter, and their weapons of
the former kind were inferior to his.

[* This pine was pronounced to be of the same species as that found in the
middle harbour of Port Jackson, but was much superior to it in size.]

Very bad weather detained Mr. Flinders here for two days, during which
they were occasionally visited by the natives, who