The following day was passed in endeavouring to get into the river, which, from the pumice-stone found upon its shores, obtained the name of Pumice-Stone River, anchoring at sun-set within two miles of its entrance.

Early the next morning (Sunday the 21st), Mr. Flinders went in his boat to examine the river, and the entrance into it.  On approaching Point Skirmish, five or six natives came down to the boat unarmed, and, by friendly gestures and offers of their girdles and small nets, endeavoured to persuade him to land.  He could not satisfy himself whether they had any treacherous design in this, or whether their presenting themselves unarmed proceeded from any confidence which they might have felt, that neither himself nor his people would hurt them if they were not the aggressors.  In this point of view, the offer of their girdles and nets might have been meant as an atonement for their former conduct; he did not, however, choose to trust them, but proceeded to examine the river.

Although the shoals in the river were very intricate; yet, finding that there was depth of water sufficient to admit the sloop, he determined to get her into it.

Upon these shoals were several pelicans; and they had not proceeded far with their boat before they were greeted with the well-known creaking note of the swan.  These now engaged a great part of their attention, and before they left the river eight of them were killed.

When they had nearly reached the end of their excursion, two natives came down to the beach, and seemed desirous for them to land.  There being a dry sand at a sufficient distance to be out of the reach of spears, they put ashore upon it.  About the same time, Mr. Flinders taking up his gun to fire at two red-bills, the natives ran into the woods; but on Bong-ree’s advancing that way they returned, and he made a friendly exchange for their hair fillets and belts, giving them a white woollen cap in return, and came to the boat for a piece of white cloth and some biscuit for them, to make the exchange equal.  During this time Mr. Flinders was on shore upon the sand bank with a gun, to cover him in case their behaviour should be unfriendly.  On his advancing toward them, they were very vociferous for him to remain at a distance, and would in no wise admit of his approaching without laying down his gun.  This place was about six miles from Point Skirmish; but it was evident that the fame and dread of their fire-arms had reached thus far, and were most probably increased by the shooting of the swans, which they must have witnessed.