ment, and appeared to be a flinty
slate. These spear-heads were ready for fixing, and the careful manner in
which they were preserved plainly showed their value, for each was
separated by strips of bark, and the sharp edges protected by a covering
of fur. A wound with such a spear must be mortal; and it was very
fortunate for Mr. Montgomery that his was not inflicted with one of these
truly formidable weapons. Their hatchets were also made of the same
stone, the edges of which are ground so sharp that a few blows serve to
chop off the branch of a tree.

The catamarans consisted of five mangrove stems lashed together to a
frame of smaller wood, as in Woodcut 2: they are bouyant enough to carry
two natives, besides their spears and baskets. A representation of this
mode of conveyance is also given in Woodcut 1.

These natives were more robust-looking men than any we had before seen;
the tallest must have been at least six feet two inches high; their
bodies were scarred all over; their teeth perfect, and they were quite
naked. The shorter native had his hair collected into a knob at the top
of his head, which gave him a ferocious appearance. The punishment they
so justly received will make them respect in future the formidable nature
of our arms.

At night we hauled the seine, and procured about four dozen fish,
principally mullet. An armed party was stationed above the beach to
prevent any attack from the natives, but they did not show themselves.

August 9.

On the following day we again heard them shouting and hallooing but it
was some time before we could observe their situation; at last five were
discovered by the aid of a telescope, seated on the summit of a hill
behind the beach, occupied in making spears; at a little distance were
two others, one of whom was distinguished to be the native that had
escaped unwounded; the other, a stranger, was chopping a branch off a
tree, which he was seen to trim and scrape into a rough spear. During the
time they were thus employed, they frequently hallooed to us; no notice
was however taken of their cries, although the temptation was very great
of firing a shot over their heads to show them that they were still
within our reach. As soon as they had finished their work and had made
about a dozen spears, they all got up and walked away.

After they disappeared behind the hill it was thought not unlikely that
they would attack our people at the watering-place; the party were