Whatever these people may have imagined to be our motive in wishing them to visit the ship, I little thought that my pressing them would have so nearly led to fatal results.  I shall proceed to explain this remark by relating the startling circumstances from which Escape Cliffs received their name.

NARROW ESCAPE OF MR. FITZMAURICE.

A few days after my interview in the dinghy with the natives, Mr. Fitzmaurice went ashore to compare the compasses.  From the quantity of iron contained in the rocks, it was necessary to select a spot free from their influence.  A sandy beach at the foot of Escape Cliffs was accordingly chosen.  The observations had been commenced, and were about half completed, when on the summit of the cliffs, which rose about twenty feet above their heads, suddenly appeared a large party of natives with poised and quivering spears, as if about immediately to deliver them.  Stamping on the ground, and shaking their heads to and fro, they threw out their long shaggy locks in a circle, whilst their glaring eyes flashed with fury as they champed and spit out the ends of their long beards.* They were evidently in earnest, and bent on mischief.

(Footnote.  A custom with Australian natives when in a state of violent excitement.)

DANCING FOR LIFE.

It was, therefore, not a little surprising to behold this paroxysm of rage evaporate before the happy presence of mind displayed by Mr. Fitzmaurice, in immediately beginning to dance and shout, though in momentary expectation of being pierced by a dozen spears.  In this he was imitated by Mr. Keys, who was assisting in the observations, and who at the moment was a little distance off, and might have escaped.  Without, however, thinking of himself, he very nobly joined his companion in amusing the natives; and they succeeded in diverting them from their evident evil designs, until a boat landing in a bay near drew off their attention.  The foremost of this party was recognised to be the ill-looking fellow, who left me in the canoe with a revengeful scowl upon his face.

Messrs. Fitzmaurice and Keys had firearms lying on the ground within reach of their hands; the instant, however, they ceased dancing, and attempted to touch them, a dozen spears were pointed at their breasts.  Their lives hung upon a thread, and their escape must be regarded as truly wonderful, and only to be attributed to the happy readiness with which they adapted themselves to the perils of their situation.  This was the last we saw of the natives in Adam Bay, and the meeting is likely to be long remembered by some, and not without pleasant recollections; for although, at the time, it was justly looked upon as a very serious affair, it afterwards proved a great source of mirth.  No one could recall to mind, without laughing, the ludicrous figure necessarily cut by our shipmates, when to amuse the natives, they figured on the light fantastic toe; and the readers, who look at the plate representing this really serious affair,* will behold two men literally dancing for their lives.