Advance into the country.

They then wished us to go up the valley of the river with them, but we ascended a high hill to the north side, being desirous of getting a view and in hopes of seeing the large estuary pencilled on the chart by Captain Grey.  From this hill we had an extensive view of all the country to the west and north of the Menai Hills.  The whole face of the country looked grassy, and thinly sprinkled over with what may be acacias, probably the mangart, or raspberry-jam-scented wood, as it had just that appearance, and a kily which we had got from the natives in the morning was made of that wood.  But there was not even a drop of water visible, nor any sign of a large river, though this is just the position assigned to the Hutt River; but certainly it is quite possible that nearer the source of these rivers there may be larger reservoirs and more water, which may be to a great degree absorbed before it reaches the sea, as we find this to be the case with many of the rivers of this country.  In the meantime the natives seemed dissatisfied about our going on the hills, and offended, and were very importunate with us to go down to the low grounds in the valley.  “Koa yeka” ("Come this way,” as I understood it) was their constant call; and when at last we did consent, as we were going down the side of a steep, rocky limestone hill, I could not help feeling that we were very much in their power.  Looking round suddenly upon one occasion I observed a man making gestures with his feet at the head of the Captain, as if showing to the rest how he could knock him down easily.  The man seemed uneasy at being detected, but I laughed it off as a joke, which probably it was after all; but their manner seemed to have changed considerably.  When we arrived at the level ground they became very urgent that we should “sit down in the shade,” “maloka nineka” (a Swan River man would say “malok nginnow").  They caught hold of us and pulled us, and wanted very much to get the guns from us.  Thinking it most prudent to return to the boat we turned with that intention, when they did everything they could, short of using force, to prevent us.  They stood in our way, they caught us in their arms, they pushed us, they tried to snatch or seize our guns, but we persisted steadily and good-humouredly to make our way back towards the boat.  One old man wished me to approach the brink of the high ground overlooking the bed of the river, but seeing that it was a perpendicular precipice to which he was leading, or rather pushing me, I suddenly clasped him with one arm and walked away from it, at which the rest set up a shout of laughter.  His intentions may have been perfectly friendly but I certainly did not feel confident that they were so.  I intimated that when we got to the boat we should give them some more bread; and I felt that the knowledge that the bread was in the boat was likely to be very much in our favour and to contribute mainly to our safety.  My fear was that they had sent for their spears and wished to detain us till they came.  However we arrived at the beach where the boat was standing outside of the surf waiting for us.