and gestures all the leading men seemed
to be in a most violent passion. One word only they knew of the language
spoken by our stockmen, and that was budgery, or good; and this I
concluded they had learnt at some interview with Dawkins, who used it
ever and anon in addressing them. They were handling everything attached
to our empty carts, but some of our men went over to prevent any serious
injury being done. All the clamour seemed directed at me, and being
apparently invited by signs to cross to them, I went to the water's edge,
curious to know their meaning. They then assumed the attitudes of the
corrobory dance, and pointed to the woods behind them. "Come and be merry
with us," was thus plainly enough said, but as their dance is warlike and
exciting, being practised by them most when tribes are about to fight,
they must either have thought me very simple, or, as seems most likely,
the invitation might be a kind of challenge, which perhaps even a hostile
tribe dared not, in honour, decline, whatever the consequences might be.
These natives were the finest looking men of their race which I had seen.
The peculiar colour of their bodies, covered with pipe-clay, gave them an
appearance of being dressed. They were in number about 100, all men or
boys, the strongest carrying spears. None of the words of The Barber
seemed at all intelligible to them, but on mentioning the Namoi they
pointed to the south-west, which I knew was the direction in which that
river was nearest to the camp. I recognised the gigantic pipe-clayed man
who had presented his spear at me when we first reached the Gwydir much
higher up. That he was the man I then met he clearly explained to me by
assuming the same attitude and pointing eastward to the place. A good
deal of laughter (partly feigned I believe on both sides) seemed to
soften the violence of their speech and action; but when I brought down a
tomahawk, and was about to present it to the man whom I had formerly met,
and who was the first to venture across, their voices arose with tenfold
fury. All directed my attention to a dirty-looking old man who
accordingly waded through the water to me, and received my present.
Several other stout fellows soon surrounded us, and with the most
overbearing kind of noise began to make free with my person and pockets.
I was about to draw a pistol and fire it in the air when White, mistaking
my intention, observed that their vehemence probably arose from their