as much as
he could, to explain the cause of that affliction which, as I had
rightly judged, weighed heavily upon him. It appeared, then, that a
violent cutaneous disease raged throughout the tribe, that was sweeping
them off in great numbers. He called several young men to Mr. Hume and
myself, who had been attacked by this singular malady. Nothing could
exceed the anxiety of his explanations, or the mild and soothing tone
in which he addressed his people, and it really pained me that I could
not assist him in his distress. We now discovered the use to which the
conical substance that had been deposited with such unusual care in one
of the huts, was applied. There were few of the natives present who
were not more or less marked with it, and it was no doubt, indicative
of mourning.

DEPARTURE OF THE NATIVES.

Some of the men, however, were painted with red and yellow ochre, with
which it was evident to me they had besmeared themselves since our
appearance, most likely in preparing for the combat in which they
fancied they would be engaged. We distributed such presents as we had
to those around us, and when we pursued our journey, the majority
accompanied us, nor did they wholly leave us until we had passed the
place to which their women had retired. They might have left us when
they pleased, for we intended them no harm; as it was, however, they
struck into the brushes to join their families, and we pushed on to
make up for lost time.

The travelling near the river had been so bad, not only in consequence
of the nature of the soil and brush, but from the numerous gullies that
had been formed by torrents, as they poured into its channel after
heavy rains and floods, that it was thought advisable to keep at a
greater distance from it. We turned away, therefore, to the plains, and
found them of much firmer surface. They partook, however, of the same
general character as the plains we had traversed more to the eastward.
Their soil was a light sandy loam, and the same succulent plants still
continued to prevail upon them, which we have already noticed as
existing upon the other plains. Both emus and kangaroos were seen,
though not in any considerable numbers, but our dogs were not in a
condition to run, and were all but killed by the extreme heat of the
weather. We had fallen on a small pool of water shortly after we
started in the morning, but we could do no more than refresh ourselves
and the animals at it. In the afte