d for the customary "set-to." As
hitherto, in all these encounters, they had always without any show
of hostility on their part, been at once attacked, they were
surprised to find the blacks, who were very numerous, bolt into the
scrub, with the exception of three who stood their ground, and
holding up their empty hands shewed that they were unarmed, dancing
and shouting vociferously. Eulah was the first to detect what they
said, and reining up called out "hold on, you hearim, that one bin
yabber English." the brothers halted and listened. Sure enough they
distinctly heard the savages shouting excitedly "Alico, Franco,
Dzoco, Johnnie, Toby, tobacco, and other English words. It was now
evident that they had met with friendly natives, who were acquainted
with the Settlement, so they went forward and spoke to them. The
blacks still continued to shout their shibboleth, pointing to
Somerset, which they called "Kaieeby." After taking a rough
inventory of the camp, without, however, finding anything that could
have come from the Settlement, they started two of the most
intelligent in front of them, making them understand by signs, that
they wanted to be guided by the shortest route to Cape York. This
they had no difficulty in doing, for they were by far the most
intelligent blacks they had met with. The whole party now started
forward, the sable guides piloting them over the best ground. In
about 7 miles they arrived at a shallow salt-water creek, that
empties itself into a northern inlet of Newcastle Bay. Here they met
with a large body of unarmed blacks, who after making a great many
signs, came up and presented them with some spears and wommerahs,
which they had concealed in the mangroves, possibly as an earnest of
peace. They also brought them a villainous compound, in some
dilly-bags, a mixture of mangrove-roots and berries, pounded up into
a pulp, of a yellowish color. Although it was very disagreeable to
the taste, the travellers eat of it in token of confidence in their
hosts, or rather to make them believe that they trusted them, for
they were too well acquainted with the aboriginal nature to trust
them in reality, and kept a wary though unobserved watch. The tide
being in, and it being very late when the salt-water creek was
reached, the Brothers determined to camp with their newly-made
friends at their main camp, and accordingly followed them for about
two miles, when they again hit the salt creek. He