Parting of The Widow and her child.
We at length emerge on much firmer ground.
River Hopkins.
Mount Nicholson.
Cockajemmy salt lakes.
Natives ill disposed.
Singular weapon.
Treacherous concealment of a native.
Contents of a native's basket and store.
A tribe comes forward.
Fine country for colonisation.
Hollows in the downs.
Snakes numerous.
Native females.
Cattle tracks.
Ascend Mount Cole.
Enter on a granite country.
Many rivulets.
Mammeloid hills.
Lava, the surface rock.
Snakes eaten by the natives.
Ascend Mount Byng.
Rich grass.
Expedition pass.
Excursion towards Port Phillip.
Discover and cross the river Barnard.
Emus numerous and tame.
The river Campaspe.
Effects of a storm in the woods.
Ascend Mount Macedon.
Port Phillip dimly seen from it.
Return to the camp.
Continue our homeward journey.
Waterfall of Cobaw.
Singular country on the Barnard.
Cross the Campaspe.
An English razor found.
Ascend Mount Campbell.
Native beverage.
Valley of the Deegay.
Natives exchange baskets for axes.
They linger about our camp.
Effect of fireworks, etc.
Arrival at, and passage of, the Goulburn.
Fish caught.

PARTING OF THE WIDOW AND HER CHILD.

September 19.

When about to set out I observed that The Widow Turandurey, who was to
remain with Mr. Stapylton's party and the carts, was marked with white
round the eyes (the natives' fashion of mourning) and that the face of
her child Ballandella was whitened also. This poor woman who had
cheerfully carried the child on her back when we offered to carry both on
the carts, and who was as careful and affectionate as any mother could
be, had at length determined to entrust to me the care of this infant. I
was gratified with such a proof of the mother's confidence in us, but I
should have been less willing to take charge of her child had I not been
aware of the wretched state of slavery to which the natives females are
doomed. I felt additional interest in this poor child from the
circumstance of her having suffered so much by the accident that befel
her while with our party, and which had not prevented her from now
preferring our mode of living so much that I believe the mother at length
despaired of being ever able to initiate her thoroughly in the mysteries
of killing and eating snakes, lizards, rats, and similar food. The widow
had been long enough with us to be sensible how much more her sex was
respected by civilised men than savages, and, as I conceived, it