Sunday, October 28.—­Notwithstanding it rained heavily this morning, a great number of the natives came off to us at an early hour for the purpose of renewing their barter, to exchange their articles for pieces of iron, a metal which they appear to hold in the highest estimation, and which became the almost exclusive medium of our traffic with them.  This metal they wisely prefer, nay, almost worship, for its usefulness; knives, hatchets, and iron-hoop, rank first in their good opinion, scissors and razors holding a secondary place; for they deem six inches in length of old iron-hoop, a quantity which would purchase half-a-dozen yams, varying from six to twelve pounds each in weight, far more valuable than the best razor you can present them with; in short, the ferri sacra fames may here be well substituted for the auri fames of more civilized nations.  We may safely aver, that in our intercourse with these people, we have the ‘love of iron’ the chief exciting principle of their more generous, as well as malignant passions,—­an opinion which many subsequent anecdotes in this narrative will prove.

The natives had to-day gained an evident accession of confidence, as some of them ventured on board, not, however, without many symptoms of timidity.  A boy of twelve years old allowed himself to be conducted over the ship, and was shewn a variety of articles, of course entirely novel to him.  With these he was, as may be supposed, exceedingly astonished, but more particularly with a looking-glass, and by the ringing of a small bell.

In the course of the day, Captain Owen landed at various points for the purpose of investigating the localities of the neighbourhood, and with a view of selecting the most eligible situation for our intended establishment.  Lieutenant Robinson also went on shore to take sights for comparing the chronometers.  Several natives approached the latter gentleman, offering him yams in barter, but were careful not to come too near, so long as his men remained armed with muskets.  As it was evident from their signs that they wished these to be laid aside, Lieutenant Robinson, in order to inspire them with confidence, directed his party to ground arms, while he and Mr. Jeffery advanced towards them.  Satisfied with this demonstration, their whole anxiety now appeared to be, how to dispose of their yams, which they professed, by signs, and with affectation of fatigue, to have brought from a great distance.  They were not a little disappointed that our party, being unprovided with the necessary medium for payment, hoop-iron, were unable to effect the purchase.

Monday, Oct. 29.—­The natives, who have visited us in great numbers to-day, are evidently increasing their stock of confidence, and, indeed, beginning to be, not a little troublesome, as we have no small difficulty in preventing them from coming on board.  At seven o’clock in the morning we changed our anchorage to the opposite side of the bay, near the Adelaide islets, and close to Point William.  A party went on shore for wood and water, in the procuring of which they were assisted by the natives.