He Seemed To Be Between 30 And 40 Years Old,
Was Jolly, And Had A Thoughtful Countenance, Much Marked By The Smallpox.
He Wore A String Of Bits Of Dried Reed Round His Neck, Which I Asked Him
To Exchange For A Black Stock.
He smiled at the proposal, but made no offer
of what I wanted; which our young friend, Imeerawanyee, observing, flew to him,
and taking off the necklace, directly fixed it about my neck.
I feared
he would be enraged, but he bore it with serenity, and suffered a gentleman
present to fasten his black stock upon him, with which he appeared
to be pleased. To increase his satisfaction, some other trifle
was given to him.
Having remained here an hour we went in quest of Baneelon, agreeably
to the directions which his companions pointed out. We found him
and Barangaroo shivering over a few lighted sticks, by which they were
dressing small fish, and their canoe hauled up on the beach near them.
On first seeing the boat, they ran into the woods; but on being called by name,
they came back, and consented to our landing. We carried on shore with us
the remaining part of the fish-gigs and spears which had been stolen,
and restored them to Baneelon. Among other things, was a net full of
fishing lines and other tackle, which Barangaroo said was her property
and, immediately on receiving it, she slung it around her neck.
Baneelon inquired, with solicitude, about the state of the governor's wound,
but he made no offer of restoring the dirk; and when he was asked for it,
he pretended to know nothing of it, changing the conversation with great art,
and asking for wine, which was given to him.
At parting, we pressed him to appoint a day on which he should come to Sydney,
assuring him, that he would be well received, and kindly treated. Doubtful,
however, of being permitted to return, he evaded our request, and declared that
the governor must first come and see him, which we promised should be done.
The governor did not hesitate to execute the engagement which we had contracted
for him. But Baneelon still resisted coming among us, and matters continued
in this fluctuating state until the 8th of October, when a fire,
which they had agreed to light as a signal for us to visit them, was observed.
The eager desire by which we were stimulated to carry our point of effecting
an intercourse had appeared. Various parties accordingly set out to meet them,
provided with different articles, which we thought would prove acceptable
to them. We found assembled, Baneelon, Barangaroo, and another young woman,
and six men, all of whom received us with welcome, except the grave looking
gentleman before mentioned, who stood aloof in his former musing posture.
When they saw that we had brought hatchets, and other articles with us,
they produced spears, fish-gigs, and lines, for the purpose of barter,*
which immediately commenced, to the satisfaction of both parties.
I had brought with me an old blunted spear, which wanted repair. An Indian
immediately undertook to perform the task, and carrying it to a fire,
tore with his teeth a piece of bone from a fish-gig, which he fastened
on the spear with yellow gum, rendered flexible by heat.
[*It had long been our wish to establish a commerce of this sort. It is
a painful consideration, that every previous addition to the cabinet of the
virtuosi, from this country, had wrung a tear from the plundered Indian.]
October, 1790. Many of them now consented to be shaved by a barber
whom we had purposely brought over. As I thought he who could perform
an operation of such importance must be deemed by them an eminent personage,
I bade him ask one of them for a fine barbed spear which he held in his hand;
but all the barber's eloquence was wasted on the Indian, who plainly
gave him to understand that he meant not to part with his spear,
without receiving an equivalent. Unfortunately, his price was a hatchet,
and the only one which I had brought with me was already disposed of
to the man who had pointed my spear. In vain did I tempt him with a knife,
a handkerchief, and a hat; nothing but a hatchet seemed to be regarded.
'Bulla mogo parrabugo' (two hatchets to-morrow) I repeatedly cried; but having
probably experienced our insincerity, he rejected the proposal with disdain.
Finding him inflexible, and longing to possess the spear, I told him
at length that I would go to Sydney and fetch what he required. This seemed
to satisfy, and he accompanied me to my boat, in which I went away,
and as quickly as possible procured what was necessary to conclude the bargain.
On my return, I was surprised to see all our boats rowing towards home,
and with them a canoe, in which sat two Indians paddling. I pulled to them,
and found that Baneelon, and another Indian, were in one of the boats,
and that the whole formed a party going over to visit the governor.
I now learned, that during my absence, the governor had passed in a boat,
on his return from Rose Hill, near the place where they were standing;
and that finding he would not come to them, although they had called to him
to do so, they had at once determined to venture themselves unreservedly
among us. One of the men in the canoe was the person to whom I was to give
the hatchet I had been to fetch; and directly as he saw me,
he held up his spear, and the exchange took place, with which, and perhaps
to reward me for the trouble I had taken, he was so delighted
that he presented me with a throwing-stick 'gratis'.
Not seeing Barangaroo of the party, I asked for her, and was informed
that she had violently opposed Baneelon's departure.
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