ding some way ahead, the
close contact of such numbers induced me to halt and call loudly,
cautioning the men, upon which I observed an old man and several others
suddenly turn and run and, on my going to the carts, the natives fell
back, those in their rear setting off at full speed.

FAILURE OF THEIR INTENDED ATTACK.

Soon after I perceived the whole tribe running away, as if a plan had
been suddenly frustrated. Piper and his gin, who had been watching them
attentively, now came up and explained to me these movements. It appeared
that the natives entertained the idea that our clothes were impervious to
spears, and had therefore determined on a trial of strength by suddenly
overpowering us, for which purpose they had planted (i.e. hidden) their
spears and all encumbrances, and had told off for each of us six or eight
of their number, whose attack was to be sudden and simultaneous. A
favourable moment had not occurred before they awoke my suspicions; and
thus their motives for sudden retreat were to be understood. That party
consisted of strong men, neither women nor boys being among them; and
although we had little to fear from such an attack, having arms in our
hands, the scheme was very audacious and amounted to a proof that these
savages no sooner get rid of their apprehensions than they think of
aggression. I had on several occasions noticed and frustrated
dispositions apparently intended for sudden attacks, for the natives
seemed always inclined to await favourable opportunities, and were
doubtless aware of the advantage of suddenness of attack to the
assailants.* Nothing seemed to excite the surprise of these natives,
neither horses nor bullocks, although they had never before seen such
animals, nor white men, carts, weapons, dress, or anything else we had.
All were quite new to them and equally strange, yet they looked at the
cattle as if they had been always amongst them, and they seemed to
understand at once the use of everything.

(*Footnote. For a proof of this see extract from Sydney Herald of May
21st 1838 in Appendix 2.3.)

We continued our journey and soon found all the usual features of the
Darling; the hills of soft red sand near the river covered with the same
kind of shrubs seen so much higher up.

DIFFERENT MODES OF INTERMENT.

The graves had no longer any resemblance to those on the Murrumbidgee and
Murray, but were precisely similar to the places of interment we had seen
on the Darling, bei