wrath of
Piper as displayed on this occasion; and I discovered that her attempted
return home had been suggested by Piper's gin who probably anticipated a
greater share of food after The Widow's departure.

NATIVES OF TARRAY. THEIR DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.

July 7.

The party moved to the creek where I had before seen the natives; and
Piper found at their fires an old woman and several boys. They said,
pointing far to the south-east, doubtless to Port Phillip, that a station
of whitefellows was there and that they had been themselves to the sea,
which was not very distant. The old woman spoke with expressive gestures
of a part of the coast she called Cadong, where the waves raged; and of a
river she named Woollamaee running into it. It appeared that the rest of
the tribe were at that time in search of opossums; but she promised that
when they returned in the evening or next day some of them should visit
our camp.

July 8.

This morning Piper prevailed on an old man with his gins and some boys to
come to us. The former pointed towards Cadong in the direction of 232
degrees from North and, in reply to my queries through Piper, said it was
not Geelong (Port Phillip) but a water like it; and that no white men had
ever been there. On mentioning lake Alexandrina by its native name
Keyinga, he said that it was a place filled sometimes with rain (i.e.
river-) water and not like Cadong which was saltwater. He described the
whole country before us as abounding in good water and excellent grass;
and he said that in the direction I was pursuing there was no impediment
between me and the sea coast. Piper's countenance brightened up with the
good news this man gave him; assuring me that we should "find water all
about: no more want water." In return for all this intelligence I
presented the old man with an iron tomahawk which he placed under him as
he sat; and he continued to address me with great volubility for some
time. I was told by Piper that he was merely saying how glad he was, and
enumerating (apparently with a sort of poetic fervour) the various uses
to which he could apply the axe I had given him. I left these natives
with the impression on my mind that they were quiet, well-disposed
people.

FINE APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY.

Proceeding a little west of south-west we intersected this creek (Tarray)
three times, leaving it finally flowing southward and to our left, into
that of Dyoonboors which it joined at a mil