VISITED BY THE FORT BOURKE TRIBE.

August 12.

About ten A.M. the calls of the natives were heard, and four or five came towards the camp asking for tomahawks.  I sent two of our people to them, but they were restless and importunate; soon after I saw them running, having set the grass on fire.  We then sallied forth in pursuit to make them retire across the Darling, but they had crossed ere we saw them.  I believe these were strangers, for the gins of the Fort Bourke tribe continued all the while quietly to fish for mussels in the river without taking notice of them.

CHAPTER 2.8.

The party leaves the Darling. 
Natives approach the camp during the night. 
Scared by a rocket. 
Discovery of a Caper-tree. 
The kangaroos and emus driven away by the natives. 
Difference between the plains of the Darling and Bogan. 
Extreme illness of one of the party. 
New Year’s range. 
A thunderstorm. 
Three natives remind us of the man wounded. 
Another man of the party taken ill. 
Acacia pendula. 
Beauty of the scenery. 
Mr. Larmer traces Duck Creek up to the Macquarie. 
A hot wind. 
Talambe of the Bogan Tribe. 
Tombs of Milmeridien. 
Another bullock fails. 
Natives troublesome. 
Successful chase of four kangaroos. 
Natives of the Bogan come up. 
Water scarce. 
Two red-painted natives. 
Uncertainty of Mr. Cunningham’s fate. 
Mr. Larmer overtakes the party. 
Result of his survey. 
Send off a courier to Sydney. 
Marks of Mr. Dixon. 
Tandogo Creek and magnificent pine forest. 
Hervey’s range in sight. 
Improved appearance of the country. 
Meet the natives who first accompanied us. 
Arrive at a cattle station. 
Learn that Mr. Cunningham had been killed by natives. 
Cookopie ponds. 
Goobang Creek. 
Character of the river Bogan. 
Native inhabitants on its banks. 
Their mode of fishing. 
Manners and customs. 
Prepare to quit the party. 
The boats. 
Plan of encampment. 
Mount Juson. 
Leave the party and mark a new line of ascent to Hervey’s range. 
Get upon a road. 
Arrive at Buree.

THE PARTY LEAVES THE DARLING.

August 13.

This morning we finally quitted Fort Bourke and the banks of the Darling to return by our former route along the Bogan.  We halted within a mile of our previous encampment, and again drank of the waters of that river, but from a very shallow pond, that which we formerly had recourse to being quite dry.

NATIVES APPROACH THE CAMP DURING THE NIGHT.

August 14.