atience and courtesy--in the latter part
of which I was entirely in their power, from their having possession of
our arms--they had manifested no ungenerous sign of taking advantage of the
helplessness and dependance of our situation; no rude curiosity to pry into
the packages with which they were entrusted; or no sordid desire to possess
the contents of them; although among them were articles exposed to view, of
which it afterwards appeared they knew the use, and longed for the benefit.
Let the banks of those rivers, "known to song", let him whose travels have
lain among polished nations produce me a brighter example of disinterested
urbanity than was shown by these denizens of a barbarous clime to a set of
destitute wanderers on the side of the Hawkesbury.

On the top of Richmond Hill we shot a hawk, which fell in a tree. Deedora
offered to climb for it and we lent him a hatchet, the effect of which
delighted him so much that he begged for it. As it was required to chop
wood for our evening fire, it could not be conveniently spared; but we
promised him that if he would visit us on the following morning, it should
be given to him. Not a murmur was heard; no suspicion of our insincerity;
no mention of benefits conferred; no reproach of ingratitude. His good
humour and cheerfulness were not clouded for a moment. Punctual to our
appointment, he came to us at daylight next morning and the hatchet was
given to him, the only token of gratitude and respect in our power to
bestow. Neither of these men had lost his front tooth.

THE LAST EXPEDITION

Which I ever undertook in the country I am describing was in July 1791,
when Mr. Dawes and myself went in search of a large river which was said
to exist a few miles to the southward of Rose Hill. We went to the place
described, and found this second Nile or Ganges to be nothing but a
saltwater creek communicating with Botany Bay, on whose banks we passed a
miserable night from want of a drop of water to quench our thirst, for as
we believed that we were going to a river we thought it needless to march
with full canteens.

On this expedition we carried with us a thermometer which (in unison with
our feelings) shewed so extraordinary a degree of cold for the latitude of
the place that I think myself bound to transcribe it.

Monday, 18th July 1791. The sun arose in unclouded splendor and presented
to our sight a novel and picturesque view. The contiguous country as white
as if cov