y were attentively
listened to, they each selected one of our people, and placed his mouth
close to his car, as if to produce a greater effect, or, it might be, to
teach them the song, which their silent attention might seem to express a
desire to learn. In return for the pleasure they had afforded, Mr.
Flinders gave them some worsted caps, and a pair of old blanket trousers,
with which they were much gratified. Several other natives soon made
their appearance, probably those who had carried away the nets. It was
some little time before they could overcome their dread of approaching
the strangers with their firearms; but, encouraged by the three who were
with them, they came up, and a general song and dance was commenced.
Their singing was not confined to one air; they gave three, but the first
was the most pleasing.

Of those who last came, three were remarkable for the largeness of their
heads; and one, whose face was very rough, had much more the appearance
of a baboon than of a human being. He was covered with oily soot; his
hair matted with filth; his visage, even among his fellows, uncommonly
ferocious; and his very large mouth, beset with teeth of every hue
between black, white, green, and yellow, sometimes presented a smile,
which might make one shudder.

Among other friendly interchanges, they learned the names of Mr. Flinders
and his party. Him they called *'Mid-ger Plindah,' and his brother Samuel
they named Dam-wel. Three of their names were Yel-yel-bah, Ye-woo, and
Bo-ma-ri-go. The resemblance of this last to Porto Rico imprinted it on
Mr. Flinders's recollection. When these people joined the party, the
strangers were shown, and their names severally told to them, until they
had gotten the pronunciation. This ceremony was reciprocal, and accorded
with what Captain Cook had said before of an inhabitant of Endeavour
river, 'he introduced the strangers by name, a ceremony which upon such
occasions was never omitted.' The difference of latitude between these
two places is 11 degrees 39 minutes, or seven hundred miles.

[* In these particularities, their language resembled that of
the Port Jackson natives. It may be seen in the former account, that Mr.
Ball was named Mid-ger Bool, and that none of them could ever pronounce
the letters f or s. Even Bennillong, on his return from England, still
used caw-be for coffee. Many other instances might be adduced.]

With regard to the comparative size of these people,