12 December 1872

After six day’s sailing we arrived at King George’s Land 1164 miles from Melbourne, at 5 o’Clock. The Town is very small, and the Country seems poor indeed. Several natives came around us. The women were dressed in skins, and seemed such wretched looking beings; - their appearance and walk remind one of the Emu – which is of itself not a ill-favoured bird, - but let it be imitated by dressing a scarecrow with its feathers, giving it a monkey head and face, motion and plenty of dirt, and the resemblance, to some extent to these natives to some extent will be apparent. After page 114 buying some seeds, and looking round for anything to be seen or learned, we had tea, and arranged for a “Korobero”, among the natives. A fire was lighted, and a dance and song commenced. Clothing skins were thrown aide – and women and men began to dance and howl, - when all at once in dashed a wretch streaked all over his naked body with stripes of white, looking ugly and ghastly – this was followed by more howls and striking of bodies with a sort of dance, forming in the light of the fire and the outside darkness a complete demoniacal exhibition.