nderstand the southern language."
But as I was dissatisfied with his proof of their knowledge of the
southern language I desired him to wade ashore and speak to them.

KAIBER'S DREAD OF THEM.

This order of mine was a perfect thunderbolt to Kaiber. He, in common
with all the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia, had an utter aversion
to all strange natives; and to this he joined a sort of religious horror
of witches, buck-witches, warlocks, and uncanny persons generally. King
James the First could never have found a more zealous and participating
partner of his fears than Kaiber; he gave me a blank look of horror and
assured me that these were actual sorcerers, "northern sorcerers;" and as
he repeated these last words there was a mysterious, deep meaning in his
tone, as if he expected to see me thrill with terror.

From his earliest infancy he had been accustomed to dread these men;
every storm that occurred he had been taught to consider as arising from
their incantations: if one of his friends or relatives died a natural
death he had attributed that death to the spells and unholy practices of
these very people with whom he was now directed to go and hold converse.
I thought of all this and pitied him; for even for a native he was
excessively superstitious. But I was extremely anxious to establish
friendly relations with them; therefore I was positive and repeated to
him my former directions that he should wade ashore, coax them up, and
speak to them.

In as far as a native can turn white from fear Kaiber did turn white, and
then stepping into the water he waded ashore and the two natives
cautiously approached him. As soon as they were close to him I joined the
party with a large piece of damper in one hand and a piece of pork in the
other. The natives were dreadfully frightened; they stood in the presence
of unknown and mysterious beings. No persuasions could induce them to
take my hand or to touch me; and they trembled from head to foot.

FRIENDLY COMMUNICATION ESTABLISHED.

For a time they were nearly unintelligible to Kaiber and myself, but as
they gained confidence I found that they spoke a dialect very closely
resembling that of the natives to the north of the Swan River. They
addressed many questions to us, such as, Whence we had come? where we
were going to? was the boat a dead tree? but they evaded giving any
direct answers to our questions. Being anxious to start I now left them
to bear to their companio