cooeyed to Pierre and Kennedy, who came running.
By this time they were within sixty yards, and halted. One advanced to
meet me and stood twenty yards off; I made friendly signs; he did not
appear very hostile. All at once one from behind (probably a chief) came
rushing forward, and made many feints to throw spears. He went through
many manoeuvres, and gave a signal, when the whole number made a rush
towards us, yelling and shouting, with their spears shipped. When within
thirty yards I gave the word to fire: we all fired as one man, only one
report being heard. I think the natives got a few shots, but they all ran
up the hill and there stood, talking and haranguing and appearing very
angry. We re-loaded our guns, and got everything ready for a second
attack, which I was sure they would make. We were not long left in
suspense. They all descended from the hill and came on slowly towards us.
When they were about 150 yards off I fired my rifle, and we saw one of
them fall, but he got up again and was assisted away. On examining the
spot we found the ball had cut in two the two spears he was carrying; he
also dropped his wommera, which was covered with blood. We could follow
the blood-drops for a long way over the stones. I am afraid he got a
severe wound. My brother and Windich being away we were short-handed. The
natives seem determined to take our lives, and therefore I shall not
hesitate to fire on them should they attack us again. I thus decide and
write in all humility, considering it a necessity, as the only way of
saving our lives. I write this at 4 p.m., just after the occurrence, so
that, should anything happen to us, my brother will know how and when it
occurred.

5 p.m. The natives appear to have made off. We intend sleeping in the
thicket close to camp, and keeping a strict watch, so as to be ready for
them should they return to the attack this evening. At 7.30 my brother
and Windich returned, and were surprised to hear of our adventure. They
had been over fifty miles from camp East-South-East, and had passed over
some good feeding country, but had not found a drop of water. They and
their horses had been over thirty hours without water.

14th (Sunday).
The natives did not return to the attack last night. In looking round
camp we found the traces of blood, where one of the natives had been
lying down. This must have been the foremost man, who was in the act of
throwing his spear, and who urged the others on. T