lia, between
the first European visitors and the natives of any given district, have
originated in causes of offence brought on by the indiscretion of one or
more of the party, and revenged on others who were innocent. As a
memorable instance I may give that which happened during Leichhardt's
overland journey to Port Essington, when his camp was attacked one
evening, and Mr. Gilbert lost his life. Long afterwards the undoubted
cause of this apparently unaccountable attack transpired in the
acknowledgment, while intoxicated, by one of the persons concerned, that
a gross outrage had been committed upon an aboriginal woman a day or two
previously, by the two blacks belonging to the expedition.

One day I witnessed a native fight, which may be described here, as such
occurrences, although frequent enough in Australia, have by Europeans
been witnessed only in the settled districts. It was one of those smaller
fights, or usual modes of settling a quarrel when more than two people
are concerned, and assumed quite the character of a duel upon a large
scale. At daybreak, I landed in company with six or seven people who were
going out on different shooting parties. The natives came down to the
boat as usual, but all carried throwing-sticks--contrary to their usual
practice of late; and at the place where they had slept, numbers of
spears were stuck up on end in the sand. These preparations surprised me,
but Paida would not explain the cause and seemed anxious to get me away.
The shooters marched off--each with his black--but I loitered behind,
walking slowly along the beach.

WITNESS A NATIVE FIGHT.

About 200 yards from the first camping-place, two groups of strange
natives, chiefly men, were assembled with throwing-sticks in their hands
and bundles of spears. While passing them they moved along in twos and
threes towards the Evans Bay party, the men of which advanced to meet
them. The women and children began to make off, but a few remained as
spectators on the sands, it being then low water. A great deal of violent
gesticulation and shouting took place, the parties became more and more
excited, and took up their position in two scattered lines facing each
other, extending from the margin of the beach to a little way in the
bush, and about twenty-five yards apart. Paida, too, partook of the
excitement and could refrain no longer from joining in the fight; he
dropped my haversack and bounded away at full speed to his camping-p