on he
might have turned. The natives now mustered a very large force and
occupied the high hills (almost cliffs) which lay a few hundred yards to
our left, and, as they had such an advantageous position and could at any
moment surprise us amongst the low sandhills where we were searching for
Stiles's footsteps, our situation was one of great danger. At length,
finding it impossible to keep the men steady, I moved them up to the
higher ground, where we could have met the natives upon a footing of
equality. They appeared, although very numerous, to be now by no means
hostile, merely standing on a high hill, watching us and calling out
"Yoongar kaw," or "Oh, people!" whilst Kaiber, who knew nothing of their
vile magical practices, and therefore regarded them as mere ordinary
flesh and blood, was very ready to communicate with them; but as they
made no other advances, I thought it better merely to remain near them
for the night, occasionally firing a gun in hopes Stiles might hear it,
and with this intention I selected a spot for our encampment.

(*Footnote. For a further description of this harbour, which has been
since denominated Port Grey, see the account of the schooner Champion's
Expedition in the 6th chapter.)

April 8.

We started very early this morning and Kaiber exerted himself to the
utmost to find Stiles's traces. At the end of three miles, on a course of
180 degrees, we descended from the elevated scrubby plains we had been
moving along to the lowlands, and on reaching this came upon the bed of a
small watercourse. I here halted the party; and as it was uncertain when
we might again fall in with water I commenced a search for it with
Kaiber, but after travelling rapidly over a good deal of ground without
seeing either water or any traces of Stiles we rejoined the party very
much fatigued.

THE MAN FOUND.

For the next two and a half miles we wound along low, grassy, swampy
plains, thinly wooded with clumps of Acacias, and then entered upon low
scrubby plains bounding the sea-shore. I here caught sight of Stiles just
ahead of us and coming in from the eastward: he was very glad once more
to find himself in safety; and his comrades seemed pleased to see him
again, although many a suppressed murmur had met my ears during our
morning's walk at the trouble I was taking to look for him.

THE GREENOUGH RIVER.

Four miles further over similar plains in a south by east direction
brought us to a river, about fi