beads, and espying vantage, seized one of the blacks by a string which he wore round his neck, and carried him off to the pinnace; the blacks who remained on the beach, set up dreadful howls and made violent gestures, but the others who kept concealed in the wood remained there.  These natives are coal-black, with lean bodies and stark naked, having twisted baskets or nets round their heads; in hair and figure they are like the blacks of the Coromandel coast, but they seem to be less cunning, bold and evil-natured than the blacks at the western extremity of Nova Guinea; their weapons, of which we bring specimens along with us, are less deadly than those we have seen used by other blacks; the weapons in use with them are assagays, shields, clubs and sticks about half a fathom in length; as regards their customs and policy and the nature of the country, Your Worships will in time be able to get information from the black man we have got hold of, to whom I would beg leave to refer you...

On the 19th, the wind being S.E., we remained at anchor, and since the yachts were very poorly provided with firewood, the skipper of the Pera went ashore with the two pinnaces duly manned and armed; when the men were engaged in cutting wood, {Page 37} a large number of blacks upwards of 200 came upon them, and tried every means to surprise and overcome them, so that our men were compelled to fire two shots, upon which the blacks fled, one of their number having been hit and having fallen; our men then proceeded somewhat farther up the country, where they found several weapons, of which they took some along with them by way of curiosities.  During their march they observed in various places great quantities of divers human bones, from which it may be safely concluded that the blacks along the coast of Nova Guinea are man-eaters who do not spare each other when driven by hunger.

On the 20th, the wind being S.E., we set sail on a S.S.W. course; at noon we came to anchor with the ebb-tide running from the South, in 31/2 fathom clayey bottom, and ordered the skipper to go ashore with the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence, and diligently inquire into the state of things on shore, so far as time and place should allow; when he returned in the evening, he informed us that the surf had prevented them from getting near the strand, so that there could be not question of landing.

In the morning of the 21st, the wind being S.E., we set sail; course held S.S.W. along the land; at noon we were in 15 deg. 38’; in the evening we came to anchor with the ebb in 31/2 fathom.

In the morning of the 22nd the wind was E.N.E., course held South; at noon we were in 16 deg. 4’; the wind being W. by N. we dropped anchor towards the evening in 21/2 fathom, about one mile from the land.

On the 23rd the wind was N.N.E., with a stiff breeze, so that we set sail on a S.S.W. course along the land in 31/2, 3, 21/2 and 2 fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 16 deg. 32’; for the rest of the day we tried to get south with variable winds, and towards the evening came to anchor in 3 fathom close inshore.