It appears that the only vehicle by which these savages transport their families and chattels across the water is a log of wood; that which we had brought alongside with our captive friend was made of the stem of a mangrove tree; but as it was not long enough for the purpose, two or three short logs were neatly and even curiously joined together end to end, and so formed one piece that was sufficient to carry and buoyant enough to support the weight of two people.  The end is rudely ornamented, and is attached to the extremity by the same contrivance as the joints of the main stem, only that the two are not brought close together.  The joint is contrived by driving three pegs into the end of the log, and by bending them, they are made to enter opposite holes in the part that is to be joined on; and as the pegs cross and bend against each other, they form a sort of elastic connexion, which strongly retains the two together.  When it is used, they sit astride and move it along by paddling with their hands, keeping their feet upon the end of the log, by which they probably guide its course.  Such are the shifts to which the absence of larger timber has reduced these simple savages:  they show that man is naturally a navigating animal; and this floating log, which may be called a marine-velocipede, is, I should suppose, the extreme case of the poverty of savage boat-building all round the world.

The island is composed of a rocky basis, covered by a thin layer of sandy soil.  On the summit of the bluff east end of the island was observed one of those immense nests that were seen at King George the Third’s Sound, the base of which measured seven feet in diameter.  Whilst examining the nest, some natives were descried on an adjoining island, and as our principal object was to communicate with these people, we immediately re-embarked and sailed towards it.  On approaching the island, we overtook two natives on their logs, who, on perceiving that we were pulling towards them, became frightened, and made violent gestures as if imploring us to go away.  Four or five unarmed natives were standing on the shore of the island, and watched our proceedings; and, upon our sheering off and pulling away from the natives upon the logs towards a sandy beach, the party on the shore walked a few steps towards it also, and invited us by signs to go ashore.  Upon the boat’s touching the beach, I landed, and taking Boongaree with me divested of his clothes, walked towards the natives, who were standing together, a little in the rear of one, who was probably their chief.  The whole party were trembling with fear, and appeared quite palsied as we approached and took the chief by the hand.  A little coaxing, and the investiture of a red cap upon the chief’s head, gradually repossessed them of their senses, and we were soon gabbling each in our own language, and therefore mutually unintelligible.