a green object to be seen. Whether our
arrival had increased their alarm, is uncertain, but the natives
continued to fire the great marshes, and as the element raged amongst
them, large bodies of smoke rose over the horizon like storm clouds,
and had the effect of giving additional dreariness to the scene. I am
inclined to think that they made these conflagrations to procure food,
by seizing whatsoever might issue from the flames, as snakes, birds, or
other animals; for they had taken every fish in the river, and the low
state of its waters had enabled them to procure an abundance of muscles
from its bed, which they had consumed with their characteristic
improvidence. They were, consequently, in a starving condition, and so
pitiable were their indications of it, that I was induced to feed such
of them as visited the camp, notwithstanding their late misconduct;
being likewise anxious to bring about a good understanding, as the best
means of ensuring the safety of the smaller party when we should
separate, of which I had reason to be doubtful. These people had killed
two white men not long before my arrival among them, and as the
circumstances attending the slaughter are singular, I shall relate them.

SLAUGHTER OF TWO IRISH RUNAWAYS.

The parties were two Irish runaways, who thought they could make their
way to Timor. They escaped from Wellington Valley with a fortnight's
provision each, and a couple of dogs, and proceeded down the Macquarie.
About the cataract, they fell in with the Mount Harris tribe, and
remained with them for some days, when they determined on pursuing
their journey. The blacks, however, wanted to get possession of their
dogs, and a resistance on the part of the Europeans brought on a
quarrel. It appears, that before the blacks proceeded to extremities,
they furnished the Irishmen, who were unarmed, with weapons, and then
told them to defend themselves, but whether against equal or inferior
numbers, I am uninformed. One of them soon fell, which the other
observing, he took his knife out, and cut the throats of both the dogs
before the blacks had time to put him to death. He was, however,
sacrificed; and both the men were eaten by the tribe generally. I
questioned several on the subject, but they preserved the most sullen
silence, neither acknowledging nor denying the fact.

ARBUTHNOT'S RANGE.

Mr. Hume had been one day on Mount Harris, and while there, had laid
his compass on a large rock, near t