s of lead ore about two and a half miles below the lode, but as most
of the pieces had been picked up on that occasion, we could only find a
few fragments of it.

9th December.

Left the encampment at 4.40 a.m., and steering about south-west, made our
former bivouac on the Hutt River about 1.0 p.m., and halted for the rest
of the day.

10th December.

Started at 4.50 a.m., steering 160 degrees magnetic over sandy country;
passed a small grassy valley at 8.0; halted on the north branch of the
Bowes at 10.10 on a small pool of brackish water; dined and resumed our
route at 2.40 p.m.; steered south over a grassy country till 6.10, when
we halted for the night on a tributary stream to the Bowes; obtained
fresh water by digging, the pools being very small and brackish.

CONFLICT WITH NATIVES. GOVERNOR SPEARED.

11th December.

Left the bivouac at 5.15 a.m., steering 175 degrees magnetic over an
indifferent country till 6.40, when we crossed the south branch of the
Bowes, the country improving. Here we saw several natives, who at first
hid themselves, but finding that we saw them, came after us. At first
they did not exceed eight or ten in number, but, being joined by several
other parties, gradually increased till they exceeded fifty, when they
altogether changed their friendly manner, and began to bring up their
spears. At 6.15 we passed to the west of King's Table Hill, and as the
country was covered with dense wattle thickets, the natives took
advantage of the ground, and having completely surrounded the party,
commenced first to threaten to throw their spears, then to throw stones,
and finally one man caught hold of Mr. Bland by the arm, threatening to
strike him with a dowak; another native threw a spear at myself, though
without effect; but before I could fire at him, the Governor, perceiving
that unless some severe example was made the whole party would be cut
off, fired at one of the most forward of our assailants, and killed him;
two other shots were fired by the soldiers, but the thickness of the
bushes prevented our seeing with what effect. A shower of spears, stones,
kylies, and dowaks followed, and although we moved to a more open spot,
the natives were only kept off by firing at any that exposed themselves.
At this moment a spear struck the Governor in the leg just above the
knee, with such force as to cause it to protrude two feet on the other
side, which was so far fortunate, as it enabled me to break