ve said, passed over this region, and were again hemmed
in by those sandy and sterile tracts upon which the beasts of the field
could obtain neither food nor water. We overtook the seven deputies
some time after we started, but soon lost sight of them again, as they
cut off the sweeps of the river, and shortened their journey as much as
possible. At 2 p.m. we found them with a tribe of their countrymen,
about eighty in number. We pulled in to the bank and remained with them
for a short time, and I now determined to convince the blacks who had
preceded us, that I had not been actuated by any other desire than that
of showing to them that we were not to be intimidated by numbers, when
I refused to make them any presents after their show of hostility. I
now, therefore, gave them several implements, sundry pieces of iron
hoop, and an ornamental badge of copper. When we left the tribe, we
were regularly handed over to their care. The seven men who had
introduced us, went back at the same time that we continued our
journey, and two more belonging to the new tribe, went on a-head to
prepare the the neighbouring tribe to receive us; nor did we see
anything more of them during the day.

We encamped on the left bank of the river, amidst a polygonum scrub, in
which we found a number of the crested pigeon. It was late before the
tents were pitched: as Fraser seldom assisted in that operation, but
strolled out with his gun after he had kindled a fire, so on this
occasion he wandered from the camp in search of novelty, and on his
return, informed me that there was a considerable ridge to the south of
a plain upon which he had been.

I had myself walked out to the S.E., and on ascending a few feet above
the level of the camp, got into a scrub. I was walking quietly through
it, when I heard a rustling noise, and looking in the direction whence
it proceeded, I observed a small kangaroo approaching me. Having a
stick in my hand, and being aware that I was in one of their paths, I
stood still until the animal came close up to me, without apparently
being aware of my presence. I then gave it a blow an the side of the
head, and made it reel to one side, but the stick, being rotten, broke
with the force of the blow, and thus disappointed me of a good meal.

During my absence from the camp, a flight of cockatoos, new to us, but
similar to one that Mr. Hume shot on the Darling, passed over the
tents, and I found M'Leay, with his usual anxiet