simultaneous demand for the cutter to be moved | should be captured and made food of. Johnson away from the supposed new danger. A look laughingly took sides with the others, more to through my glass told me that undoubtedly some movement was going on among the natives, and it behooved us to be on our guard.

er bay and inside the sandy spit were several | shoals and banks, at that time unknown to me or any of the crew. It was on the south shore, among the trees, that a great number of natives were seen, as well as on the sandy spit, but only the latter appeared inclined at first to come off.

Directly the cutter was again under way, and standing more up the river, some of the blacks were noticed watching her very carefully, while others had run on toward a thick clump of trees that now appeared on the north shore as the little vessel turned round the sand-spit and opened out new places. But the attention of all on board was more directed to the ship than to the natives. The soundings were for a short time regular, and then became very uneven, from five fathoms to three, and changing rapidly. Presently a quarter less three" was hastily shouted from the leadsman, and before an order I promptly gave to turn the ship's head seaward could be executed the cutter went heavily on a hidden shoal, and was immovably fixed. Here was a dilemma! The tide had taken the ebb, and as we had no boat it was impossible to do any thing in the way of extricating ourselves. The only chance was to make a raft, get out an anchor astern, and so try to heave off; and this all hands immediately set to work doing.

"Oh, I'm cedar-cutter just now," he replied. "What's your captain's name?"

The answer was given, and then the mate added, "But here he is, if you want to see him."

I again appeared on deck, and was informed of what had passed.

"I see you have a boat, my friend," I said, addressing the stranger; "and if you can let us have its use, or would wish to dispose of it, I shall be glad to make terms."

"As for disposing of it, perhaps I can," was the stranger's response, "seeing that my partner, who is ashore, and I, have another. But we can talk of that by-and-by. You can make use of it now, if you like, and I'll come aboard to lend a hand."

"Thank you heartily," I replied, as the stranger leaped on to the deck, followed by his sable companion, void of the slightest attire, and who immediately passed the boat astern. "What name shall we call you by?"

66

My name is William C-, and the black there is Billy," replied the cedar-cutter, at the same time pointing to the native. "He is a good pilot for this river, and so are all of them about here. If you'd had one on board he would have kept you clear of this."

"What! Are they civilized blacks here, then ?" I asked.

"No, by no manner of means: not as Government folks call them," he answered. "But they will not harm people when there's no cause first given. I know them pretty well, and it was they that told me of your coming in here."

"Not a bit of it!" said he. "They saw you making for this place when out at sea, and wanted to warn you that the reef couldn't be passed. And here again they tried to show you where the best water was, but when they found you didn't understand them they came away to mg."

My vexation, and the dismay of those of the crew who were alarmed at the natives, may be imagined. It seemed as if we were really doomed, and Morgan again openly bemoaned his fate in thus having to run the risk of becoming food for Australian blacks. But as it was no use repining, every one went vigorously to work, "Then," said I, "they were not bent on and in a short time an extempore raft was mischief a while ago, when we saw them runmade, an anchor planted in a direction where,ning about so, and some taking to their caafter sounding, it was hoped the vessel could be noes?" hove off, and then a strain put on. It was, however, too late. The tide had fallen so much that the cutter already began to lean over, and therefore it was necessary to wait until near high- water. Nothing then remained but to have patience; and this, with a very ill grace on the part of Neil and Morgan, was resorted to. Orders were given for a good watch to be kept on deck, and after seeing every thing as safe as could be, I once more went below for a few moments. But hardly had I left the deck when a small boat, with two figures in it, was seen rapidly approaching from the clump of trees on the north shore. As it neared the cutter one of the figures was observed to be a middle-aged white man, and the other a native black On reaching the ship's side the former asked, in English, what was the matter.

"Matter!" said Richardson, in reply. "Why, you can see we've had bad weather outside, and, having lost nearly every thing, came here, it appears, to be deprived of the remainder."

"What's the name of your craft, and where are you bound?" again queried the stranger.

"The Thomas is our name, and we were hound on a cruise 'mong the islands,' was the mate's response. "But who are you?"

"You see, men," said I, now addressing the crew, "these poor natives turn out much better than you expected. It's lucky after all that we came here."

"Ay, Sir," said Neil; "it's well enough just at present. But we can't tell how they may be by-and-by. I've known them afore, and they're treacherous enough when they please."

"Well, perhaps they may be sometimes," the stranger remarked. "But it's most when some of the whites behave bad to them, as was done down there that time on the Darling."

In a few moments I had arranged with William C— for himself with his boat, and what assistance could be obtained from the natives, to aid in getting the little vessel clear and taking her to where he and his brother lived with their wives, and one more white man, some fifteen miles up the river. Strangely enough I soon found that, though calling himself only a

"cedar-cutter," he and his brother were shipwrights, located on the Clarence by themselves among hundreds of the natives. He was building a schooner to order for some one at Sydney; and, on the present occasion, had come to the "Heads"-as this entrance bay was called-for the purpose of selecting suitable timber, good pine for masting, in addition to cedar, being plentiful.

In course of conversation he stated that the blacks were all friendly just now, and never did harm unless driven to it. "You see," said he, pointing to a canoe-one of several now approaching "you see that man there with a red shirt on him and a brass plate hanging on his breast? Well, some months ago there was a vessel wrecked off this bar and all hands perished. One of the bodies was washed on shore by the sand-spit. Peter, as we call him, discovered that body, and instead of treating it badly, he dug a hole and decently buried it. When the Government people heard of this they gave him that brass plate with an inscription upon it to hang round his neck, and the red shirt to wear. He is very proud of his shirt and decoration whenever strangers come here, and his tribe do every thing they can for white men, provided they are kindly treated. There are a few ugly ones among them, it is true; but me and my | brother, with our wives, have lived here some few years and never had harm yet."

than can ever be made public. You know that
when they left the wreck in two boats it was
several days before they landed, having meant
to go along the coast to Sydney. During that
time the poor woman gave birth to a child which
soon afterward died. Her sufferings were great,
for the boat was nearly half full of water, and
their food exhausted. This made Captain Fra-
zer run the chance of going on shore. But.
upon landing, they were seized by the blacks
and stripped entirely naked. One after the
other the men-except two that escaped-were
killed and eaten. Mrs. Frazer and her hus-
band were kept for a while and made do all the
drudgery of the camp, such as carrying wood for
firing, and whatever else the devils of women-
for they are such whenever it pleases them-de-
lighted in making a torment to the two captives.
Soon they were covered with filth and sores,
and then the natives would apply burning wood
to add to their agony. At last the husband
sank under his sufferings, and was unable to do
his task-work. They beat him, and when he at-
tempted to run away a spear was sent through
his body in presence of the wretched wife.
tried, but had no power to save him, for they
immediately dragged her away, leaving her ig-
norant of what was done with her husband's
corpse. Weeks was the poor woman a captive
in their hands, until at length an escaped con-
vict, roaming about with some blacks, heard of

She

"Are these blacks," said I, "all of one tribe her position, and generously went to the nearest on the river?"

"Oh no," he replied. "The ones about here belong to the Igloolik tribe; and those where I live are what we call the Rocky Mouth natives; a little further on there is another lot under their chief, "King Billy," an old man with an aged wife and numerous family. Those lower down on the Narraganset and Billingen rivers, as also the tribes on the Richmond river farther north, are distinct and separate from all the rest, never infringing upon each other's territorial rights unless by permission, or when they fight, which they often do. Indeed, at the present time there is going to be a bale among them, and perhaps you may have a chance to see it."

"It will not be the first I have witnessed," was my reply. "Some years ago I was a great deal among the blacks about Gipps's Land, and, though they treated me well, yet I found them to be ferocious and devilish enough to strangers in general."

Government authorities with the information. Artifice, however, had to be resorted to for her release. A boat with an officer accompanied him to the place. He then stripped himself, and, disguised as a black, entered the campfound means of communicating with her, and so contrived to effect her escape. On entering the boat (which had to be done quickly and at great risk) her condition was most deplorable. Some garments were thrown over her naked form, and she was taken to Moreton Bay. There she was properly attended to, and afterward removed to Sydney."

"And do any of the blacks about here belong to the tribe that was guilty of that horrible barbarity?" I asked.

"No," was the reply. "But I obtained all the particulars through some of them who had been taken prisoners during a fight with that tribe. The convict who effected her escape, was, as you perhaps know, pardoned and rewarded. As for the blacks they were hunted down as far as could be done, and this made them worse. So it went on, and, to the present day, similar outrages still occur. I could name two or three that have happened at stations between here and Grafton, and in the districts each side of the river; but they were all perpetrated by strangers and not by the natives I have "I know something of it," was my reply. most known. When any thing of the kind does "I happened to be in Sydney at the time when occur Government generally sends the "Black she was rescued and brought there. It was a Police" among them to secure or punish the ofterrible affair!" fenders, and they do it so well that very seldom "It was," he continued; "and perhaps worse is there one of the guilty tribe that escapes."

"Yes, that I know," said Mr. C—, “and these have been the same some time back. Indeed, all along the coast they are so now when enraged. You have heard of Mrs. Frazer's case when her husband, captain of a ship, and herself with all the crew were wrecked north of this place several years ago?"

"Yes, strangely enough," I remarked, "these native police are more deadly toward their own people than the white men are. I have heard that when sent against a party of blacks guilty of such crimes they strip off the civilized dress allowed them by Government, and with a sword or dirk go naked into the work of death. Have you known any instances of this?"

poor lady, a change was soon about to take place; and the friendly footing maintained with the natives eventually was broken.

In passing to the cottage I had noticed a schooner of about 75 tons building, and Mr. C told me it was entirely of cedar. He and his brother, with one white man assistant, and several of the natives, had been the ship"Yes, it is the case," he replied. "And they wrights. As we looked at it he naturally exnever cease until their work of slaughter is end-pressed some pride at his labors, this being the ed. They are a bad lot, and much worse than third and, as he said, the best he had made. either black or white in the lowest scale. But Little did he then imagine that it was to be his if you think well to go up the river and have tomb; and that the native blacks who were aidthe cutter repaired at my place, you will have ing him would afterward drive his widowed good opportunity for getting better acquainted wife and his brother, with his partner, away with some of these people. Occasionally we from the place with danger to their lives! Yet have near three hundred around us, and always so it was, as the sequel will show. a score or two of them may be found."

More conversation passed between us; but as I soon afterward personally learned for myself all he told me, I need not dwell upon it here.

After an hour spent in the cottage, and a visit to the brother's, we returned on board.

Daylight next morning presented to my view a wild yet picturesque scene. On the bank of the river before me were a score or two of the natives squatted on the ground and intently watching us: a little behind, on the right, in a clear space amidst the trees, was the newly-built schooner, not quite completed, and the white men with some blacks busy at work upon her. Near the schooner on one side was Mr. William C's cottage, the mistress But attending to her poultry and household duties, while on the left of the scene was a similar cottage belonging to the brother. In the background I could see one or two bark - huts in front of a perfect forest of trees and shrubs; and thousands of birds in beautiful plumage, with hundreds of white cockatoos flying about among them. On either hand of us the river wound its way through a dense grove of verdure, broken by an island at our right, and flanked by hills covered with cedars, the eucalyptus, and 1 brushwood.

Mr. Cremained on board, and ultimately we succeeded in getting the cutter over the shoals and proceeding up the river under the skillful pilotage of the native black, "Billy." When we neared the known place of a hidden rock he would cry out "Gibba, gibba ;" and sometimes he took us so close to the banks on either side that the yard-arm of our square-sail struck in among some branches of trees. no further mishap occurred, and after about fourteen miles tortuous but pleasant sailing we arrived at our destination. Dropping the anchor, and fastening hawsers to some trees, we moored alongside the bank where it shelved down to the water's edge, opposite two neatlooking cottages belonging to Mr. William C― and his brother. It was now just upon dark; but I could see a number of the natives quietly seated upon the shore watching our arrival; and among them were two white women, one the wife of Mr. William, and the other of his brother. Neither of them had any children of their own; but the younger dark-skins were all of them like adopted ones.

Directly the vessel was secured and directions given for a careful watch myself and wife went on shore with M. C- to his house. It had been built by himself, and was a neat, and even a pretty abode, consisting of parlor, bedroom, kitchen, and spare loft above, with a garden under good cultivation around.

For a moment I contemplated the scene, and then with a will we set to work. A stage to the shore was soon made, and as it was necessary to discharge the vessel of every thing on board, preparatory to heaving her down for repairs, we began the task. Here, at first, I thought there would be some difficulty. I was afraid the temptation to steal might be too great for the natives, seeing that there was a large quantity of valuable things to be landed, and especially scrap iron, which ballasted the vessel. But I am bound to record the fact, that, though instruments, books, apparel, and much that the black man would naturally covet, were taken on shore, and remained there for weeks, not one article did I miss. True, every precaution was taken to guard them; but when I now reflect upon the numbers of wild men that occasionally visited and surrounded us I can not help feeling surprised, and thus bear cheerful testimony to the honesty of these uncivilized Australians.

Mrs. William C received us with more than ordinary gratification. She was a woman of education and refinement, and as she rarely saw any one but themselves, it was, as she said, an unusual pleasure to have visitors so lately from the civilized world, and especially not a year since from her native home of England. To us it was strange to see her thus-her brother-in-law and his wife her only companions in this isolated place and amidst so many wild blacks. But she had got so accustomed to it Independent of there not being much accomthat no fear was entertained, and her days modation in the cottages, I preferred living for passed on-monotonous, it is true, but without the time among my effects. Accordingly boxes care or more than ordinary trouble. Alas! and cases were packed with the most valuable

things, and these so arranged that my bed and
bedding lay over them. Other things were then
placed in due order, and over all came the sails
supported by the small yards and spars, so as to
form a good sized and comfortable tent. Out-be tempted to attack us.
side were the heavier stores and such material
as could not be injured by rain, and in front was
the cooking-stove. Inside, and close to my bed,
were some fire-arms, my rifle and revolver, well
loaded; my wife also having a beautiful steel
dirk always secretly carried about her to use if
danger menaced, and other precautions were
adopted as were deemed necessary. The mate

and crew were quartered in the bark huts, and
a ready means of communication established be-
tween us all, in case, as Mr. Csaid, any of
the tribes of blacks, friendly or strangers, should
A beautiful canary-

bird that my wife had brought four years before from New York, and that afterward accompanied us on a cruise among the natives of Fuegia, was fixed in or outside our tent as weather permitted, and by its sweet singing invariably charmed the blacks surrounding us. The mention of this may seem unnecessary, but most travelers in wild places well know that it is by