Our royal friend came, climbed the tree in an instant, and
after a cursory examination, dropped some small sticks down the hollow of
the trunk; then listening, he pointed, as by instinct, to a part of the
tree much lower down where, by making a small incision, the others
immediately got the animal out.

May 10.

We moved (on 345 degrees) for Nyngan, which we reached at half-past
twelve. We passed on our left Borribilu, and there I was introduced by
the king to a new tribe. On first espying these people seated under a
tree at a great distance near the river-bank, he directed my attention
that way by using the same gestures which he was accustomed to make in
giving me notice of a kangaroo or emu.

DANGEROUS MISTAKE.

I accordingly left my horse, going cautiously forward with my rifle. The
chief however kept by me, anxiously calling out with a pathetic voice
"Myen, myen," which words, as I afterwards learnt, meant Men! men! But it
was not until a thought had passed in my mind of firing among the group,
that I had the good fortune to discover my mistake. The figures seated
and covered with grey clay had very much the resemblance of a grey
species of kangaroo which we had often seen on the Bogan. I then went
forward with him, and was received with the most demure inattention; that
is to say, by the natives sitting cross-legged, with their eyes fixed on
the ground, which it appeared was their formal mode of expressing respect
or consideration for strangers when first received.

Nyngan was a long pond of water on which were many ducks, and those birds
called in the colony native companions.

A TRUE SAVAGE.

The blacks sat down at a fire nearer to us than usual, and the strong man
with a bad countenance particularly attracted my attention.

I prevailed on him to sit until I sketched his face; for which piece of
civility I gave him a tomahawk. Late at night, when I was about to go to
sleep, he came softly up to my tent, demanding something in a whisper. I
showed him my rifle, and gave the man on watch strict orders to look
sharp. This savage was twice afterwards caught about the carts during the
night, and in the morning he was seen pointing out to other natives the
cart on which the flour was placed. I never saw a worse countenance on
any native; and I was deprived even of the slight comfort of a doubt as
to poor Cunningham's fate on looking at it.

THE KING OF THE BOGAN TAKES HIS LEAVE.

May 11.

The king, who ha