people had
of their fellow-men, that on the first sight of such an apparition it was
not surprising that, after a moment's stare, they precipitately took to
the pond, floundering through it, some up to the neck, to the opposite
bank. He was a tall, spare figure, in a close white dress, surmounted by
a broad-brimmed straw hat, the tout-ensemble somewhat resembling a
mushroom; and these dwellers by the waters might well have believed, from
his silent and unceremonious intrusion, that he had risen from the earth
in the same manner. The curiosity of the natives, who had vanished as
fast as they could, at length overcame their terrors so far as to induce
them to peep from behind the trees at their mysterious visitor. Dawkins,
not in the least disconcerted, made himself at home at the fires, and on
seeing them on the other side, began his usual speech: "What for you
jerran budgery whitefellow?"* etc. He next drew forth his little loaf,
endeavouring to explain its meaning and use by eating it; and he then
began to chop a tree by way of showing off the tomahawk; but the
possession of a peculiar food of his own astounded them still more. His
final experiment was attended with no better effect; for when he sat down
by their fire, by way of being friendly, and began to taste their
kangaroo, they set up a shout which induced him to make his exit with the
same celerity which no doubt had rendered his debut outrageously opposed
to their ideas of etiquette, which imperatively required that loud
cooeys** should have announced his approach before he came within a mile
of their fires. Dawkins had been cautioned as to the necessity for using
this method of salutation, but he was an old tar, and Jack likes his own
way of proceeding on shore; besides, in this case, Dawkins came unawares
upon them, according to his own account; and it was only by subsequent
experience that we learnt the danger of thus approaching the aboriginal
inhabitants. Some of this party carried spears on their shoulders or
trailing in their hands, and the natives are never more likely to use
such weapons than when under the impulse of sudden terror.

(*Footnote. "Why are you afraid of a good white man?" etc.)

(**Footnote. The natives' mode of hailing each other when at a distance
in the woods. It is so much more convenient than our own holla, or
halloo, that it is universally adopted by the colonists of New South
Wales.)

I continued my ride for six miles in a nort