argin with a vehemence and an agitation
that was exceedingly striking. At one moment pointing to the boat, at
another shaking his clenched hand in the faces of the most forward, and
stamping with passion on the sand, his voice, that was at first distinct,
was lost in hoarse murmurs."

This episode, unequalled in the traditions of the Australian aborigines,
removed the imminent danger; and Sturt's tact, in a few moments changed
the hundreds of demented demons into a pack of laughing, curious
children, an easy and common transition with the savage nature. But for
the intervention of this noble chief, Sturt and his followers, penned
within the boat in shallow water, would have been massacred without a
chance to defend themselves. Surrounded as they were by six hundred
stalwart foes, their fate, save from unreliable native tradition, would
never have been known to their countrymen.

During the crisis, the boat had drifted untended, and grounded on the
sand. While the men were hastily pushing her off, they caught sight of "a
new and beautiful stream coming apparently from the north." A crowd of
natives were assembled on the bank of the new river, and Sturt pulled
across to them, thus creating a diversion amongst his erstwhile foes, who
swam after, as he says, "like a parcel of seals."

After presenting the friendly native with some acknowledgement and
refusing presents to the others, the pioneers examined the new river. The
banks were sloping and well-grassed, crowned with fine trees, and the men
cried out that they had got on to an English river. To Sturt himself the
moment was supreme. He was convinced "that we were now sailing on the
bosom of that very stream from whose banks I had been twice forced to
retire." They did not pull far up the stream, for a native fishing-net
was stretched across, and Sturt forbore to break it. The Union Jack was,
however, run up to the peak and saluted with three cheers, and then with
a favouring wind they bade farewell to the Darling and the now
wonderstruck natives.

As they went on, the party landed occasionally to inspect the surrounding
country, but on all sides from their low elevation they could see nothing
but a boundless flat. The skiff being now only a drag upon them, it was
broken up and burnt for the sake of the ironwork. On account of the
damage to the salt pork caused by the sinking of this boat, the strictest
economy of diet had to be exercised, and though an abundance of f