Mr. Hunter and Mr. Cunningham ranged about the island near our wooding party; the former gentleman shot for us several birds, among which was a white cockatoo that differed from the species that is common at Port Jackson in being smaller and having a very small white crest or top-knot without any yellow feathers in it:  its mandibles and feet were white but the feathers on the under part of the wings had the usual yellow tinge.

Mr. Cunningham was successfully employed in adding to his collections, but the dry season was so far advanced and the country so parched up that everything bespoke the last season as having been unusually dry.

August 23.

On the following day, when our people resumed their occupation, they were again cautioned not to trust to the apparent absence of the natives.  In the afternoon Mr. Roe walked along the beach with his gun in quest of birds:  on his way he met Mr. Hunter returning from a walk in which he had encountered no recent signs of the Indians.  This information emboldened Mr. Roe to wander farther than was prudent, and in the mean time Mr. Hunter returned to our party in order to go on board; he had however scarcely reached our station when the report of a musket and Mr. Roe’s distant shouting were heard.  The people immediately seized their arms and hastened to his relief and by this prompt conduct probably saved his life.

It appeared that, after parting from Mr. Hunter, he left the beach and pursued his walk among the trees; he had not proceeded more than fifty yards when he fired at a bird:  he was cautious enough to reload before he moved from the spot in search of his game, but this was scarcely done before a boomerang* whizzed past his head, and struck a tree close by with great force.  Upon looking round towards the verge of the cliff, which was about twenty yards off, he saw several natives; who upon finding they were discovered set up a loud and savage yell, and threw another boomerang and several spears at him, all of which providentially missed.  Emboldened by their numbers and by his apparent defenceless situation, they were following up the attack by a nearer approach, when he fired amongst them, and for a moment stopped their advance.  Mr. Roe’s next care was to reload, but to his extreme mortification and dismay he found his cartouch box had turned round in the belt and every cartridge had dropped out:  being thus deprived of his ammunition, and having no other resource left but to make his escape, he turned round and ran towards the beach; at the same time shouting loudly to apprize our people of his danger.  He was now pursued by three of the natives, whilst the rest ran along the cliff to cut off his retreat.

(Footnote.  See Note above.)

On his reaching the edge of the water, he found the sand so soft that at every step his feet sunk three or four inches, which so distressed him and impeded his progress that he must soon have fallen overpowered with fatigue had not the sudden appearance of our people, at the same time that it inspired him with fresh hopes of escape, arrested the progress of the natives, who, after throwing two or three spears without effect, stopped and gave him time to join our party, quite spent with the extraordinary effort he had made to save his life.