. Towards morning the wind moderated, and the rain
ceased. Still, the sky was overcast, and the clouds were passing
rapidly over us. The wind had, however, changed some points, and from
the N.W. had veered round to the S.S.W.; and the day eventually turned
out cool and pleasant.

LARGE TRIBE OF NATIVES--THEIR INDIFFERENCE TO FIRE-ARMS.

We fell in with a large tribe of natives, amounting in all to 270. They
were extremely quiet, and kept away from the boat; in consequence of
which I distributed a great many presents among them. This tribe was
almost the only one that evinced any eagerness to see us. The lame had
managed to hobble along, and the blind were equally anxious to touch
us. There were two or three old men stretched upon the bank, from whom
the last sigh seemed about to depart; yet these poor creatures evinced
an anxiety to see us, and to listen to a description of our appearance,
although it seemed doubtful whether they would be alive twenty-four
hours after we left them. An old woman, a picture of whom would disgust
my readers, made several attempts to embrace me. I managed, however, to
avoid her, and at length got rid of her by handing her over to Fraser,
who was no wise particular as to the object of his attention. This
tribe must have been one of the most numerous on the banks of the
Murray, since we fell in with detached families for many miles below
the place where we had parted from the main body.

I have omitted to mention that, while among them, I fired at a kite and
killed it; yet, though close to me, the blacks did not start or evince
the least surprise. It really is difficult to account for such firmness
of nerve or self-command. It is not so much a matter of surprise that
they were indifferent to its effects, for probably they knew them not,
but it is certainly odd that they should not have been startled by the
report.

The river inclined very much to the southward for some miles below our
last camp; at length it struck against some elevations that turned it
more to the westward. Before we terminated our day's pull it again
changed its direction to the eastward of south. The right bank became
lofty, and the left proportionably depressed.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PROGRESS OF THE EXPEDITION.

In consequence of the boisterous weather we had had, we were uncertain
as to our precise situation, even in point of latitude. But I was
perfectly aware that we were considerably to the south of the head of
S