ve
Mr. Stuart credit for his surmise, and felt somewhat mortified that the
favourable impression I had received as to the honesty of the natives had
thus been destroyed. They had gone up the creek on seeing that I was
displeased, and we saw nothing more of them during the afternoon; but on
the following morning they came to see us, and as they behaved well, I
gave them a powder canister, a little box, and some other trifles; for
after all there was only one old fellow who had been unruly, and he now
shewed as much impatience with his companions as he had done with us, and
I therefore set his manner down to the score of petulance.

At 10 a.m. on the 9th we prepared to move over to the branch creek, as I
really required rest and quiet, and knew very well that as long as I
remained where I was, we should be troubled by our sable friends, who,
being sixteen in number, would require being well looked after. Before we
finally left the neighbourhood, however, where our hopes had so often
been raised and depressed, I gave the name of Cooper's Creek to the fine
watercourse we had so anxiously traced, as a proof of my great respect
for Mr. Cooper, the Judge of South Australia. I am not conversant in the
language of praise, but thus much will I venture to say, that whether in
his public or private capacity, Mr. Cooper was equally entitled to this
record of my feelings towards him. I would gladly have laid this creek
down as a river, but as it had no current I did not feel myself justified
in so doing. Had it been nearer the located districts of South Australia,
its discovery would have been a matter of some importance. As it is we
know not what changes or speculations may lead the white man to its
banks. Purposes of utility were amongst the first objects I had in view
in my pursuit of geographical discovery; nor do I think that any country,
however barren, can be explored without the attainment of some good end.
Circumstances may yet arise to give a value to my recent labours, and my
name may be remembered by after generations in Australia, as the first
who tried to penetrate to its centre. If I failed in that great object, I
have one consolation in the retrospect of my past services. My path
amongst savage tribes has been a bloodless one, not but that I have often
been placed in situations of risk and danger, when I might have been
justified in shedding blood, but I trust I have ever made allowances for
human timidity, and respect