xplained to me. At the time when I left the depot on
the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his
guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any
natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and
induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain
some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the
waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day
come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when
they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females
and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of
days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be
understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs
were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the
north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the
exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let
go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief.

It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for
which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the
precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which
might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a
sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any
circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my
own party had committed the first act of aggression.

The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women
and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet
actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying
to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had
established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and
repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the
air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the
evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the
tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength;
I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce
me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off
their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.]

When on my return to the depot, I had seen t