nd we had landed, not one of
them caused us any anxiety or trouble. It was to the last party that I
owed the tomahawk, and I went up with it as they sat at their fires. They
were in number about twenty and unaccompanied by any gins. The man who
had given me the bag seemed to express gratitude for the tomahawk by
offering me another net, also one which he wore on his head; and he
presented to me his son. He saw the two native boys who then accompanied
me as interpreters dressed well and apparently happy, and I had no doubt
the poor man was willing to place his own son under my care. I
endeavoured to explain that we had no more tomahawks, that we had given
none to any other tribe upon the Murray, and that our men were apt to be
very saucy with their guns if too much troubled. Experience had taught me
the necessity for thus perpetually impressing on the minds, even of the
most civil of these savages that, although inoffensive, we were strong;
an idea not easily conceived by them. They however came forward and sat
down near us until very heavy rain, which fell in the night, obliged them
to seek their huts.

HEAVY RAINS SET IN.

June 14.

The morning dawned under the most steady fall of rain that I had seen
during the journey; and this happened just after new moon, a time when I
had hoped for a favourable change in the weather. Everything was got
across the river this day, and we were prepared for the survey of a new
region. I was occupied with the maps of the country which we had just
left sufficiently to be regardless of the rain, even if it had continued
to fall many days; and very thankful was I that we had got thus far
without having been impeded by the weather.

June 15.

The rain ceased in the morning and the barometer had risen so much that
no more was to be apprehended then; yet the blacksmith had still some
work to do to the boat-carriage, and we were therefore obliged to halt
another day.

ROW UP THE MURRAY TO THE JUNCTION OF THE MURRUMBIDGEE.

In the afternoon I proceeded in one of the boats up the river to the
junction of the Murrumbidgee; and I ascertained that there was a fresh in
that river also. It was certainly narrower at the mouth than at Weyeba;
and here indeed some fallen trees almost crossed the stream. There was a
hollow or break in the bank of the Murray, about 100 yards lower down,
which seemed to have been once an outlet of the Murrumbidgee. The opening
formed a deep section through a stra