, one of great celebrity--since in
it some of the most remarkable and most tragical events had taken place.
It was near it that the volunteers who went out to rescue Mr. Inman's
sheep, which had been seized by the natives to the number of 4,000, were
driven back and forced to retreat; not, I would beg to be understood,
from want of spirit, but because they were fairly overpowered and caught
in a trap. The whole of the party, indeed, behaved with admirable
coolness, and one of them, Mr. Charles Hawker, as well as their leader,
Mr. Fidd, shewed a degree of moderation and forbearance on the occasion
that was highly to their credit. Here also was the Hornet's Nest, where
the natives offered battle to my gallant friend, Major O'Halloran, whose
instructions forbade his striking the first blow. I can fancy that his
warm blood was up at seeing himself defied by the self-confident natives;
but they were too wise to commence an attack, and the parties, therefore,
separated without coming to blows. Here, or near this spot also, the old
white-headed native, who used to attend the overland parties, was shot by
Miller, a discharged soldier, I am sorry to say, of my own regiment. This
old man had accompanied me for several days in my boat, when I went down
the Murray to the sea coast in 1830, and I had made him a present, which
he had preserved, and shewed to the first overland party that came down
the river, and thenceforward he became the guide of the parties that
followed along that line. He attended me when I came overland from
Sydney, in 1838, on which occasion he recognised me, and would sleep no
where but at my tent door. He was shot by Miller in cold blood, whilst
talking to one of the men of the party of which unfortunately he had the
charge; but retribution soon followed. Miller was shortly afterwards
severely wounded by the natives; and, having aneurism of the heart, was
cautioned by his medical attendant never to use violent exercise; but,
disregarding this, when he had nearly recovered, he went one day to visit
a friend at the gaol in which he ought to have been confined, and in
springing over a ditch near it, fell dead on the other side, and wholly
unprepared to appear before that tribunal, to which he will one day or
other be summoned, to answer for this and other similar crimes.

About a dozen natives followed us from our camp, on the morning of the
8th. We again struck the creek, on which we had rested, and which had
t