ed for that temporary kind of shelter required
for only one night.

June 9.

We proceeded this morning as silently as possible, for we were now
approaching the haunts of the enemy, and I wished to come upon them by
surprise, thinking that I might thereby sooner ascertain whether any
misfortune had befallen the depot.

NARROW ESCAPE FROM THE FLOODS OF THE RIVER.

Two creeks lay in our way and, from the flood then in the Murray, it was
likely that they might be full of water, and the savages prepared to take
advantage of the difficulty we should then experience in crossing them.
The first channel we arrived at, which was quite dry when we formerly
crossed, was now brimful of the muddy water of the Murray and before we
reached its banks we heard the voices of natives on our right. We forded
it however without annoyance, the water reaching only to the axles of the
carts, but the current was very strong and FROM the river, that is to
say, upwards. We next reached our old camp where we had passed that
anxious night near Benanee. Here to my great satisfaction and indeed
surprise, I found the bed of the larger creek, which occasioned us so
great a detour when we first met the natives, still quite dry at our old
crossing-place; being in the same state in which it was then, although
the flood water was now fast approaching it. We got over however with
ease and at length again traversed the plain which skirts the lake; and
we were glad to find that tranquillity prevailed along its extensive
shores.

PIPER OVERTAKES TWO YOUTHS FISHING IN LAKE BENANEE.

I perceived only one or two natives fishing, and I took Piper down to the
beach to speak to them, being desirous also to examine at leisure this
fine sheet of water. We found on arriving there that other natives had
run off from some huts on the shore, but Piper pursued those in the lake,
for the purpose of obtaining information about the tribe, until they ran
so far out into the water that they seemed at length up to their ears,
and I was really afraid that the poor fellows, who were found to be only
boys, would be drowned in endeavouring to avoid him. I could scarcely
distinguish them at length from the numerous waterfowl floating around.
In vain I called to their pursuer to come back, Piper was not to be
baffled by boys, and continued to walk through the water like a giant,
brandishing a short spear, or, as the boys would probably say to their
tribe;

Black he stood as ni