borigines had
travelled as far as two hundred miles to assist in chasing back the white
intruders once more from their violated hunting-grounds. But these braves
of the Darling did not yet understand the nature of the man they sought
to intimidate.

At first a nominal peace prevailed, and for two days the blacks followed
the expedition closely, seeking to cut off any stragglers, and rendered
the out-roving work of minding and collecting the cattle and horses one
of considerable risk. Mitchell was soon convinced that a sharp lesson was
necessary to save his men. In the event of losing any of his party, he
would have had to fight his way back with the warriors of what seemed a
thickly-populated district arrayed against him. One morning, therefore,
the party was divided, and half of them sent back to an ambush in the
scrub. The natives were allowed to pass on in close pursuit of the
advance party. The native dogs, however, scented this ambuscade, and,
after their fashion, warned the blacks of the presence of the hidden
whites. As they halted, and began handling and poising their spears, one
of the ambushed men fired without orders, and the others followed his
example. The natives faltered, and those in advance, hearing the firing,
rushed back eager to join in the fray. The conflict was short and
decisive; the over-confident fighting men of the Darling lost seven of
their number and were driven ignominiously back into the Murray scrub and
across that river. Henceforth the explorers were unmolested. These
pugnacious aboriginals were the same that had threatened to bring Sturt's
boat voyage to a tragical conclusion, and soon after Mitchell's
exploration, they waged a determined war against the early overlanders
and their stock.

Mitchell's way to the Darling was now clear, and on the 31st of May he
came upon that river, a short distance above the confluence. Tracing the
stream upwards, he again convinced himself that it was the same river
that he had been on before, and, satisfied of this, he turned and
proceeded right down to the junction itself, and finally disposed of one
of the most interesting problems in Australian exploration.

He naturally felt much anxiety, after his late skirmish, for the safety
of the stationary camp he had left behind, and having lost no time during
his return, he was relieved to find his camp in quiet and safety.

The Surveyor-General first mapped the exact junction of the Murrumbidgee
and Mu