all
inclined to leave it. The creek is here broad and sandy: the timber is
small and stunted. Towards evening the two Hamiltonians put on airs of
great impudence, and became very objectionable; two or three times I
had to resist their encroachments into the camp, and at last they
greatly annoyed me. I couldn't quite make out what they said to one
another; but I gathered they expected more of their tribe, and were
anxiously looking out for them in all directions. Finally, as our guns
wanted discharging and cleaning after the late showers, we fired them
off, and so soon as the natives saw us first handle and then discharge
them, off they went, and returned to Balclutha no more.

(ILLUSTRATION: AN INCIDENT OF TRAVEL.)

Going farther up the creek, we met some small tributaries with fine
little water-holes. Some ridges now approached the creek; from the top
of one many sheets of water glittered in stony clay-pans. More
westerly the creek ran under a hill. Crossing another tributary where
there was plenty of water, we next saw a large clay-hole in the main
creek--it was, however, dry. When there was some water in it, the
natives had fenced it round to catch any large game that might come to
drink; at present they were saved the trouble, for game and water had
both alike departed. Mr. Tietkens, my lieutenant and second in
command, found a very pretty amphitheatre formed by the hills; we
encamped there, at some clay-pans; the grass, however, was very poor;
scrubs appeared on the other side of the creek. A junction with
another creek occurred near here, beyond which the channel was broad,
flat, sandy, and covered indiscriminately with timber; scrubs existed
on either bank. We had to cross and recross the bed as the best road.
We found a place in it where the natives had dug, and where we got
water, but the supply was very unsatisfactory, an enormous quantity of
sand having to be shifted before the most willing horse could get down
to it. We succeeded at length with the aid of canvas buckets, and by
the time the whole twenty four were satisfied, we were also. The grass
was dry as usual, but the horses ate it, probably because there is no
other for them. Our course to-day was 8 degrees south of west. Close
to where we encamped were three or four saplings placed in a row in
the bed of the creek, and a diminutive tent-frame, as though some one,
if not done by native children, had been playing at erecting a
miniature telegraph lin