A boat was seen paddling out towards us from behind Moreton Island,
containing about half-a-dozen people, apparently armed with bows and
arrows and spears, and provided with fishing-rods, which projected on
either side. One man was standing up and waving, in a very excited
manner, something which turned out ultimately to be a piece of
cotton-waste. Our engines having been stopped, the canoe came
alongside, and we beheld six wild-looking half-naked creatures--two
men, three women, and a very small boy, who was crouching over a fire
at the bottom of the boat. There were also four sharp, cheery-looking
little dogs, rather like Esquimaux dogs, only smaller, with prick ears
and curly tails, who were looking over the side and barking vigorously
in response to the salutations of our pugs. One man had on a square
robe of sea-otter skins, thrown over his shoulders, and laced together
in front, two of the women wore sheepskins, and the rest of the party
were absolutely naked. Their black hair was long and shaggy, and they
all clamoured loudly in harsh guttural tones, accompanied by violent
gesticulations, for 'tabaco' and 'galleta.' We got some ready for
them, and also some beads, knives, and looking-glasses, but through
some mistake they did not manage to get hold of our rope in time, and
as our way carried us ahead they were left behind.
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