wed little desire to return
to their society, and stuck very close to his new friends. On being asked
the cause of their present meeting, Baneelon pointed to the whale, which
stunk immoderately, and Colbee made signals, that it was common among them
to cat until the stomach was so overladen as to occasion sickness.

Their demand of hatchets being re-iterated, notwithstanding our refusal,
they were asked why they had not brought with them some of their own? They
excused themselves by saying, that on an occasion of the present sort,
they always left them at home, and cut up the whale with the shell which is
affixed to the end of the throwing-stick.

Our party now thought it time to proceed on their original expedition, and
having taken leave of their sable friends, rowed to some distance, where
they landed, and set out for Broken Bay, ordering the coxswain of the boat,
in which they had come down, to go immediately and acquaint the governor
of all that had passed. When the natives saw that the boat was about to
depart, they crowded around her, and brought down, by way of present, three
or four great junks of the whale, and put them on board of her, the largest
of which, Baneelon expressly requested might be offered, in his name, to
the governor.

It happened that his excellency had this day gone to a landmark, which was
building on the South-head, near the flag-staff, to serve as a direction to
ships at sea, and the boat met him on his return to Sydney. Immediately on
receiving the intelligence, he hastened back to the South-head, and having
procured all the fire-arms which could be mustered there, consisting of
four muskets and a pistol, set out, attended by Mr. Collins and Lieutenant
Waterhouse of the navy.

When the boat reached Manly Cove, the natives were found still busily
employed around the whale. As they expressed not any consternation on
seeing us row to the beach, governor Phillip stepped out unarmed, and
attended by one seaman only, and called for Baneelon, who appeared,
but, notwithstanding his former eagerness, would not suffer the other
to approach him for several minutes. Gradually, however, he warmed
into friendship and frankness, and presently after Colbee came up. They
discoursed for some time, Baneelon expressing pleasure to see his old
acquaintance, and inquiring by name for every person whom he could
recollect at Sydney; and among others for a French cook, one of the
governor's servants, whom he h