Early the next morning (Sunday the 21st), Mr. Flinders went in his boat
to examine the river, and the entrance into it. On approaching Point
Skirmish, five or six natives came down to the boat unarmed, and, by
friendly gestures and offers of their girdles and small nets, endeavoured
to persuade him to land. He could not satisfy himself whether they had
any treacherous design in this, or whether their presenting themselves
unarmed proceeded from any confidence which they might have felt, that
neither himself nor his people would hurt them if they were not the
aggressors. In this point of view, the offer of their girdles and nets
might have been meant as an atonement for their former conduct; he did
not, however, choose to trust them, but proceeded to examine the river.
Although the shoals in the river were very intricate; yet, finding that
there was depth of water sufficient to admit the sloop, he determined to
get her into it.
Upon these shoals were several pelicans; and they had not proceeded far
with their boat before they were greeted with the well-known creaking
note of the swan.
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