(Footnote.  Sir-reb, according to Ireland’s information is Marsden Island.  P.P.K.)

Ireland lived in the same hut with Duppar and his family; his employment was to cultivate a plantation of yams, and during the season to assist in taking turtle and shellfish.  On one occasion he accompanied them on an excursion towards New Guinea, where they went for the purpose of barter and trade; which they frequently did, to obtain bows and arrows, canoes and feathers, for which they give in return shells;* and which from their scarcity, the New Guinea people prize very much, but as Duppar was fearful that the New Guinea people would steal or murder him, he was left at Darnley’s Island, in charge of Agge, an Indian, until their return.  Duppar and his friends, however, were not long away; for having stopped at an island, Jarmuth (Campbell’s Island) to pass the night, one of the islanders attempted to take away by force from one of the visitors, his moco moco (a sort of bandage worn round the calves of the legs, made of the bark of bamboo) upon which a quarrel ensued, in which the Murray Islanders used their bows and arrows, and wounded several, one being shot through the body.  The Jarmuth people then retreated to their huts, and the others embarked; but instead of going to New Guinea, returned to Darnley’s Island, where in a few days they received a message from Jarmuth, offering peace; which, however, they would not accept; nor did they afterwards make friends.

(Footnote.  Ireland describes the shell to be a cone, and recognized it among the plates in the Encyclopedie Methodique, as the Conusmille punctatus.)

Ireland’s account of the visit of the Mangles, is so different from what Captain Carr describes, that the discrepancy must be received with much caution.

He states that Captain Carr’s object seemed to be entirely that of trading for tortoise-shell; he was alongside the Mangles, and not at a considerable distance off; he was so near as to ask one of the people on the poop to throw him a rope, to get fast to the vessel, which was done, but owing to the sea running high he was obliged to let it go; upon which he asked for a boat to be lowered for him to get on board, which was also done, and he should have made his escape, had not one stood up in the bow with a naked cutlass and the others flourished their weapons over their heads; which frightened the Indians so much that they pulled away on shore, followed by the boat for a little distance, and there concealed him.  Ireland declares, that he did not say, that the natives would not give him up.

When under the Mangles’ stern one of the crew offered him some tobacco which he declined.  Had Captain Carr offered an axe for him, he would have been given up immediately as well as little D’Oyly, who was on the beach, in the arms of one of the natives.  The natives knew that Ireland was anxious to be taken away, and were averse to his going off to the vessel, saying, “You shall not go there to be killed;” but as he hoped to make his escape he persisted, and the result was a bitter disappointment to him.