fficer to the hills, who accordingly started for them, with Mr. Stuart,
my draftsman, the morning after our arrival at the ponds. Some of the
natives had informed us that there was plenty of feed at the head of
Cawndilla Lake, a distance of seven or eight miles to the W.S.W.; but we
could not understand from them how far the waters of the Darling had
passed up the creek, although it was clear from what they said that they
had not yet reached Cawndilla. My instructions to Mr. Poole were framed
with a view to our removal from our present position nearer to the
ranges, and I therefore told him to cross the creek at the head of the
water, and if he should find grass there, to return to the camp, if not,
to continue his journey to the hills, and use every effort to find water
and feed. We had had a good deal of rain during the night of the 10th;
the morning of the 11th was hazy, with the wind at S.W., and there
appeared to be every prospect of continued wet. Under less urgent
circumstances, therefore, I should have detained Mr. Poole until the
weather cleared, but our movements at this time were involved in too much
uncertainty to admit of delay. I had hoped that the morning would have
cleared, but a light rain set in and continued for several days.

We had seen fewer natives on the line of the Darling than we had
expected; but as we approached Williorara they were in greater numbers.
Our tents were hardly pitched at that place, when, as I have observed, we
were visited by the local tribe, with their women and children, who sat
down at some little distance from the drays, and contented themselves
with watching our motions. I had tea made for the ladies, of which they
seemed to approve highly, and gave the youngsters two or three lumps of
sugar a-piece. The circumstance of the women and children thus venturing
to us, satisfied me that no present hostile movement was contemplated by
the men; but, not-withstanding that there was a seeming friendly feeling
towards us, there was a suspicious manner about them, which placed me
doubly on my guard, and caused me to doubt the issue of our protracted
sojourn in the neighbourhood.

I had several of the natives in my tent, and with Mr. Browne's assistance
questioned them closely as to the character of the country to the north
west, but we could gather nothing from what they said. They spoke of it
in terror, as a region into which they did not dare to venture, and gave
me dreadful accoun