trees of the ironbark eucalyptus and pines or callitris on the
highest grounds. At twenty miles from our camp we crossed a grassy flat,
in which we at length found a chain of ponds falling to the
south-south-east, and also about them were recent marks of natives.

INTERVIEW WITH TWO NATIVES.

At length I espied two at a distance as I proceeded along the valley. In
vain we cooeyed and beckoned to them to approach; it was clear they would
not come to us; on seeing which I left the men and horses and walked
towards them, carrying a green bough before me. They seemed at once to
understand this emblem of peace; for as soon as I was near enough for
them to see it they laid down their spears and waddies, and sat down on
the ground to receive me. Not a word however could they understand, being
evidently quite strangers to the colonists. They were both rather old
men, but very athletic, and of commanding air and stature, the body of
one was painted with pipe-clay, that of the other with yellow ochre; and
through these tints their well-defined muscles, firm as those of some
antique torso, stood out in bold relief in the beams of the setting sun.
The two made a fine group on which dress would have been quite
superfluous, and absolutely a blot on the picture.

No gesture of mine could convey the idea with which I wished so much to
impress them, of my search for ANOTHER WHITE MAN, and after using every
kind of gesture in vain, I made a bow in despair and departed. They rose
at the same time, apparently glad (from fear) to see me going, and
motioned as if to say you may depart now, we are friends. One of them who
sat behind and who appeared to be the older of the two had a bone-handled
table-knife stuck in the band over his forehead; one had also an iron
tomahawk. The rest of the tribe were concealed about, as we heard their
cooeys, but no others ventured to appear. I thought I could not give them
further proof of no harm being intended to them than by quietly going on
my way, and I hoped that this friendly demonstration might remove any
apprehensions respecting Cunningham if he chanced to meet the tribe. The
greatest danger to be apprehended from natives is on a stranger first
approaching them when, chiefly from fear, they are apt to act on the
offensive.

Continuing on the same line I crossed another small watercourse falling
north-east; and beyond it were hills of mica-schist and quartz, which
sloped rather boldly to the southw