The governor did not hesitate to execute the engagement which we had contracted for him.  But Baneelon still resisted coming among us, and matters continued in this fluctuating state until the 8th of October, when a fire, which they had agreed to light as a signal for us to visit them, was observed.  The eager desire by which we were stimulated to carry our point of effecting an intercourse had appeared.  Various parties accordingly set out to meet them, provided with different articles, which we thought would prove acceptable to them.  We found assembled, Baneelon, Barangaroo, and another young woman, and six men, all of whom received us with welcome, except the grave looking gentleman before mentioned, who stood aloof in his former musing posture.  When they saw that we had brought hatchets, and other articles with us, they produced spears, fish-gigs, and lines, for the purpose of barter,* which immediately commenced, to the satisfaction of both parties.  I had brought with me an old blunted spear, which wanted repair.  An Indian immediately undertook to perform the task, and carrying it to a fire, tore with his teeth a piece of bone from a fish-gig, which he fastened on the spear with yellow gum, rendered flexible by heat.

[It had long been our wish to establish a commerce of this sort.  It is a painful consideration, that every previous addition to the cabinet of the virtuosi, from this country, had wrung a tear from the plundered Indian.]

October, 1790.  Many of them now consented to be shaved by a barber whom we had purposely brought over.  As I thought he who could perform an operation of such importance must be deemed by them an eminent personage, I bade him ask one of them for a fine barbed spear which he held in his hand; but all the barber’s eloquence was wasted on the Indian, who plainly gave him to understand that he meant not to part with his spear, without receiving an equivalent.  Unfortunately, his price was a hatchet, and the only one which I had brought with me was already disposed of to the man who had pointed my spear.  In vain did I tempt him with a knife, a handkerchief, and a hat; nothing but a hatchet seemed to be regarded.  ‘Bulla mogo parrabugo’ (two hatchets to-morrow) I repeatedly cried; but having probably experienced our insincerity, he rejected the proposal with disdain.  Finding him inflexible, and longing to possess the spear, I told him at length that I would go to Sydney and fetch what he required.  This seemed to satisfy, and he accompanied me to my boat, in which I went away, and as quickly as possible procured what was necessary to conclude the bargain.  On my return, I was surprised to see all our boats rowing towards home, and with them a canoe, in which sat two Indians paddling.  I pulled to them, and found that Baneelon, and another Indian, were in one of the boats, and that the whole formed a party going over to visit the governor.  I now learned, that during my absence, the governor