ave them
presents of articles the most desirable to them; and yet they beset us as
keenly and with as little remorse as wild beasts seek their prey. It was
a consolation however under such unpleasant circumstances to have men on
whose courage, at least, I could depend, for numbers might now be
expected to come against us; and it was necessary that we should be
prepared to meet them in whatever force they appeared. On the return of
the men in the evening they reported that, notwithstanding all their
exertions, the bullock could not be got up from the mud.

Seven men were accordingly sent to the spot that afternoon and, as they
did not succeed, it became necessary to send a party to the river in the
morning. This was also proper, I considered, in order to cover our
retreat, for by first scouring the riverbank, no natives could remain
along it to discover that our journey was not, as they would naturally
suppose, continued downwards.

MELANCHOLY REFLECTIONS.

A death-like silence now prevailed along the banks of the river, no
far-heard voices of natives at their fires broke, as before, the
stillness of the night, while a painful sympathy for the child bereft of
its parent, and anticipations of the probable consequences to us, cast a
melancholy gloom over the scene. The waning moon at length arose, and I
was anxiously occupied with the observations which were most important at
this point of my journey, when a mournful song, strongly expressive of
the wailing of women, came from beyond the Darling, on the fitful breeze
which still blew from the north-west. It was then that I regretted most
bitterly the inconsiderate conduct of some of the men. I was indeed
liable to pay dear for geographical discovery when my honour and
character were delivered over to convicts, on whom, although I might
confide as to courage, I could not always rely for humanity. The
necessity for detaching the men in charge of the cattle had however
satisfied me that we could not proceed without repeated conflicts, and it
remained now to be ascertained whether greater security would be the
result of this first exhibition of our power.

CHAPTER 2.7.

Commencement of the homeward journey.
The cattle begin to fail.
Halt and endeavour to lighten the carts.
Rain comes on.
Native conversations at a distance.
Party separated to watch the cattle.
Illness of some of the men from scurvy.
Mr. Larmer's excursion into the country to the eastward.
The Spitti