Among other reptiles were found the snake with venomous fangs, and some
large brown guanoes.
This country is inhabited by men; and, if any judgment could be formed
from the number of huts which they met, in about the same proportion as
in New South Wales. Their extreme shyness prevented any communication.
They never even got sight of them but once, and then at a great distance.
They had made fires abreast of where the sloop was at anchor; but as soon
as the boat approached the shore they ran off into the woods. Their
huts, of which seven or eight were frequently found together like a
little encampment, were constructed of bark torn in long stripes from
some neighbouring tree, after being divided transversely at the bottom,
in such breadths as they judge their strength would be able to disengage
from its adherence to the wood, and the connecting bark on each side. It
is then broken into convenient lengths, and placed, slopingwise, against
the elbowing part of some dead branch that has fallen off from the
distorted limbs of the gum tree; and a little grass is sometimes thrown
over the top.
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