his place Gumm's Well.

_June 4th._ Recommenced our journey up the river at 8 a.m.; after
travelling four or five miles, I turned off to obtain a view of Mounts
Collicott, Cottrill, and Solomon.... We continued travelling over the
plains, and in eight miles again made the river. Having crossed the
river, we travelled over the richest land I had ever seen in my life;
marsh mallows with leaves as large as those of the cabbage tribe, and as
high as my head. We recrossed at a native ford, and we observed on a
wattle tree, which they had been stripping of the bark, scratches or
marks of figures, representing blacks in the act of fighting. These
figures I copied as near as I was able.

_June 6th._ We made an early breakfast and resumed our journey in order
to reach the camp of the blacks, the smoke of whose fires we had seen
yesterday. We travelled over land equal to any that we had seen, a deep
black diluvium with grass three or four feet high, and thinly-timbered.
After travelling eight miles we struck the trail of the natives which in
a short time led us to a branch of the tribe, consisting of one chief,
his wife, and three children--fine, plump, chubby, healthy-looking
urchins they were. To this distinguished royal chieftain of the prairies
I gave one pair of blankets, handkerchiefs, beads, and three
pocket-knives; upon the receipt of these presents, he undertook the part
of guide. We crossed a fresh water creek with good land on either bank.
Our new guide informed us that he would take us to his tribe, at the
same time naming many of their chiefs. After travelling about eight
miles, we were surprised to hear a number of voices calling after us,
and on looking round encountered six men, armed with spears fixed in
their wommeras. We stopped; and they at once threw aside their spears,
and came up to us in a most friendly manner possible. We all shook hands
and I gave them knives, tomahawks, etc., whereupon they took the lead,
and brought us back about a mile, to where we found huts, or gunyahs,
and a number of women and children. We sat down in the midst of these
sooty and sable aboriginal children of Australia; amongst whom we
ascertained were eight chiefs belonging to the country near Port
Phillip, over which we had travelled, and with which we had so much
reason to be pleased. The three principal chiefs were brothers. Two of
them were fully six feet high and tolerably good-looking; the third was
not so tall but much sto