ndred yards. It being so nearly dark, and the scrub we were then in
placing us at a disadvantage, I wished to pass without taking any notice
of them, but such was not their intention, for they continued to approach
us, calling out and making all sorts of gestures apparently of defiance.
I then faced them, making every sign of friendship I could think of. They
seemed to be in a great fury, moving their boomerangs above their head,
bawling at the top of their voices, and performing some sort of a dance.
They were now joined by more of their tribe, so that in a few minutes
their numbers had increased to upwards of thirty; every bush seemed to
produce a man. Putting the horses on towards the creek, and placing
ourselves between them and the natives, I told my men to get their guns
ready, for I could see they were determined upon mischief. They paid no
regard to all the signs of friendship I kept constantly making, but were
still gradually approaching nearer and nearer to us. I felt very
unwilling to fire upon them, and still continued making signs of peace
and friendship, but all to no purpose. Their leader, an old man, who was
in advance, made signs with his boomerang, which we took as a signal for
us to be off. They were, however, intended as tokens of defiance, for I
had no sooner turned my horse's head to comply with what I thought were
their wishes, than we received a shower of boomerangs, accompanied by a
fearful yell; they then set fire to the grass, and commenced jumping,
dancing, yelling, and throwing their arms into all sorts of postures,
like so many fiends. In addition to the thirty that already confronted
us, I could now see many others getting up from behind the bushes. Still
I felt unwilling to fire upon them, and tried again to make them
understand that we wished to do them no harm. Having now approached
within about forty yards of us, they made another charge, and threw their
boomerangs, which came whistling and whizzing past our ears, one of them
striking my horse. I then gave orders to fire, which stayed their mad
career for a little. Our pack-horses, which were on before us, took
fright when they heard the firing and fearful yelling, and made off for
the creek. Seeing some of the blacks running from bush to bush, with the
intention of cutting us off from our horses, while those in front were
still yelling, throwing their boomerangs, and coming nearer to us, we
gave them another reception, and I sent Ben aft