MOVEMENTS OF THE TRIBE.

It appeared that they had followed our cart track downwards, having with them a native of Cudjallagong.  They inquired particularly why Majy had gone to the junction of the Kalare with so few people; and they gave a very unfavourable account of the tribe at that place.  This alarmed Mr. Stapylton, and when he observed the tribe set off in the morning, back along the cart track, he despatched the party on horseback under Burnett with orders to observe the movements of the tribe, to look for my track and, if possible, to join me.  The party returned to the camp about eight in the evening, to my great satisfaction, for I had been apprehensive that they might have proceeded to seek me at the junction and I had despatched two men to recall them as soon as I returned.

CAUGHT FOLLOWING MY STEPS.

Burnett reported when he returned that he had found our track after making a considerable circuit five or six miles from the camp; and as Piper, who accompanied him, was tracing my steps homewards, on perceiving some natives running along it, he concluded that we were just before them and sounded the bugle, when they proved to be the tribe before mentioned, all armed with spears.  What their object was I cannot say, for three of them had been trotting along the footmarks, while the rest of the tribe in a body kept pace abreast of them.  On hearing the bugle it appeared that they seemed much alarmed and drew up at a distance.

PIPER QUESTIONS THEM.

They would not allow Piper to approach them, but one at length came forward and informed him that Majy was gone home.  Piper was so dubious about this that he insisted on examining the points of their spears.

During the nights passed at this camp the natives were on the alert, so that their various movements, cooeys, and calls kept the party in a state of watchfulness, aware, as experience had taught us, of their thieving propensities.  Some rockets sent up about the time I was expected on the evening of our absence had however scared them a little; and it is probable that the man from Cudjallagong had given them new ideas about soldiers.  Piper’s watchword, also, when taking up his carabine, usually was “Bell gammon soldiers."* They left the neighbourhood of our camp on my return and we saw no more of the tribe which had followed me.

(Footnote.  Meaning Soldiers are no joke!)

CHAPTER 3.4.

The Murrumbidgee compared with other rivers. 
Heaps of stones used in cooking. 
High reeds on the riverbank. 
Lake Weromba. 
Native encampment. 
Riverbanks of difficult access. 
Best horse drowned. 
Cross a country subject to inundations. 
Traverse a barren region at some distance from the river. 
Kangaroos there. 
Another horse in the river. 
Lagoons preferable to the river for watering cattle. 
High wind, dangerous in a camp under trees.