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Matthew Flinders - Journal on the Investigator, July 1802 - June 1803 (Vol. 2)
July 1802
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[page 26]

[1802 July [Sat.] 31st. in continuation re]marks upon Sandy Cape

which is most probably owing to the greater quantity of food, which, by means of their nets, they are able to procure. I observed, that upon the knuckle bone of the wrist of most, if not all, of them, there was a swelling, the skin of which was as hard as on the inside of the hand. If we understood them, this arose from the constant use of the nets, the stretcher of which came in contact with this part in throwing it. Our native could not understand any word of their language, certainly; nor did they seem to know the use of his throwing stick; for on one of them being asked to use it, he threw the stick and spear away together but better than one of us would have done in a not very awkward manner. The kind of pandanus which I had before found in Shoal Bay and Glass-house Bay, grows in abundance upon Sandy Cape; and a few other trees of different kinds are scattered about amongst the bushes, notwithstanding the extreme sandiness of the soil: the wood is large enough for fire wood. - We found fresh water in a [indecipherable word] pool near the shore, and as a ship may lie within 1/2 or 3/4 of a mile, both wood and water may be procured, but I doubt whether the former latter article would not fail in the summer months.- We saw nothing like a canoe; but they natives [The word 'natives' has been added in pencil] have some means of passing over the water to a small distance, since in 1799 I found the Curlew Islet, in the head of the Bay had been visited.

 
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