nd stood at last on the banks of the Murrumbidgee.

This magnificent stream was flowing within eight feet of its banks with
considerable rapidity, the water being quite clear; and it really
exceeded so much my expectations (surpassing far the Darling and all the
Australian rivers I had then seen) that I was at first inclined to think
it could be nothing less than the Murray which, like the Darling, might
have been laid down too far to the west. At all events I was delighted to
find that this corner of Australia could supply at least one river worthy
of the name. After thirsting so long amongst the muddy holes of the
Lachlan I witnessed, with no slight degree of satisfaction, the jaded
cattle drinking at this full and flowing stream, resembling a thing of
life in its deep and rippling waters. Now at length there was an end to
the privations we had so often suffered from want of water; and the bank
was also clothed with excellent grass--a pleasing sight for the cattle.
Reeds appeared in patches back from the river but, unlike the banks of
the Darling, the best and clearest ground was on the immediate margin of
the Murrumbidgee.

NATIVES ON THE OPPOSITE BANK.

Piper, with that keenness of vision so peculiar in savages, soon descried
some natives on the other side, and pointed out to me a tribe filing in a
straggling line through the woods at a distance. I made him cooey to
them, they answered the call, and in a short time appeared on the
opposite bank. Our first interview with these sons of the woods was
highly creditable to them. They advanced in a numerous group, but in a
silent and submissive manner, each having a green bough twined round the
waist or in his hand. They sat down on the opposite bank and The Widow,
having taken a position exactly facing them, held a parley which
commenced before I could get to the spot. It was now that we learnt the
full value of this female, for it appeared that while some diffidence or
ceremony always prevents the male natives, when strangers to each other,
from speaking at first sight, no such restraint is imposed on the gins;
who with the privilege of their sex are ever ready to speak, and the
strangers as it seemed to answer; for thus at least we held converse with
this tribe across the river. Our female guide, who had scarcely before
ventured to look up, stood now boldly forward and addressed the strange
tribe in a very animated and apparently eloquent manner; and when her
counten