d a musket to be brought from the boat, which was concealed
from their view by the bank of the river; seeing this the Indians stopped
and retreated to their party, who immediately set up a yell of loud and
angry cries accompanied with the most furious gesticulations. As the tide
was still flowing and I was not very anxious to communicate with these
people, from whose neighbours at Goulburn Island we had already
experienced much treachery, and who, if inclined to be quarrelsome,
might, from the small breadth of the river, considerably annoy and impede
our farther progress, we re-embarked and proceeded up the river under the
momentary expectation of either seeing or hearing them at every bend and
open bank; we were not, however, molested; and at sunset, as we had
reached a considerable distance from their encampment, and had not seen
any alligators, we landed to pass the night upon the shore, and soon
pitched our tent. We had, however, no sooner refreshed and composed
ourselves to rest than we were alarmed by a loud shout, and upon
listening attentively it was again heard. It was now our firm opinion
that we had landed in the vicinity of another tribe, who upon seeing our
fire had alarmed their companions.

The muskets were therefore placed in readiness and a watch set to give
our party warning if they approached. In the middle of the night the
noise was again heard, but upon being repeated several times it was
discovered that we had been deceived by the screams of a bird whose note
exactly resembled the human cry. Our fears of being attacked by the
natives being now dispelled, our party composed themselves again to rest,
but without obtaining any sleep in consequence of the immense swarms of
mosquitoes, which buzzing about in incredible numbers were not to be kept
from stinging us by any measures we could devise. The tent was very soon
deserted and many other places were tried in vain; the only method at all
successful, by which some respite was obtained, was by lying upon the
ground within two feet of the blaze of the fire; the heat and smoke of
which, with the danger of our clothes catching fire, were insignificant
inconveniences compared with the mosquitoes' stings; and those only who
placed themselves in this situation obtained a few hours' sleep.

August 6.

At daylight, begrimed with dirt and smoke, we re-embarked, and pulled
five miles further up the river, when its further examination was given
up; at this plac