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Still as they showed no desire to molest us it would be only fitting that under such circumstances they would have been left
undisturbed. This did not suit the views of two or three of our party who desiring the others to continue
crossed to the other side of the lagoon by going around one end of it, they, three in number
namely Durack, Sid and Kilfoyle. Then right up to the bank opposite to this
we stand and beckon them to come back. They respond by shaking their weapons
and by [indecipherable] at the introduction of their hunting plays or rather fishing plays. So it
was after [indecipherable] I think we should have gone on. A shot was then fired by one
of the three by Kilfoyle. This certainly was a most precipitous mode of inducing them
to come to a friendly discussion. Broadly about thirty of them rose from the grass and
advanced shaking their spears. One of the aborigines even threw his spear but it fell short
by about 20 yards. The white men then replied by a succession of shots from
revolvers, rifle and Winchester. I think that 20 shots were fired and
some natives were said to be wounded. At last they appeared ignorant of the
fire arms and regarded the noise as a sort of diversion but the sound of the birds passing close
by them and the dust played up by them at their food soon seemed to make them think
there was something more than noise. Instead of advancing in order then into
the water and kept ducking and diving when fired at. This soon became
dangerous so they took two or three fellows and regained the bank and hastened
up a hill leaving three or four in the water because these seemed to be
winded.