In reference to the natives, I hope sufficient has been said of the manner of communicating with them to prevent the necessity of a repetition here.  The great point is not to alarm their natural timidity:  to exercise patience in your intercourse with them; to treat them kindly; and to watch them with suspicion, especially at night.  Never permit the men to steal away from the camp, but keep them as compact as possible; and at every station so arrange your drays and provisions that they may serve as a defence in case of your being attacked.

The natives appeared to me to be indifferent to our presents, in most cases.  Tomahawks, knives, pieces of iron, and different coloured ribbons for the forehead, were most esteemed by them.  They will barter and exchange their fish for articles, and readily acquire confidence.

I believe I have now touched on all the more important points:  on minor ones no observation I can make will be of use; men must, in many things, be guided by circumstances.

* * * * *

Whale boat employed on the second expedition.

I may here notice that, in my second expedition, as it was anticipated that I should require adequate provision for water conveyance, at one stage or other of my journey down the Morumbidgee, I was furnished with a whale-boat, the dimensions of which are given below.  She was built by Mr. Egan, the master builder of the dock-yard and a native of the colony, and did great credit to his judgment.  She carried two tons and a half of provisions, independently of a locker, which I appropriated for the security of the arms, occupying the space between the after-seat and the stern.  She was in the first instance put together loosely, her planks and timbers marked, and her ring bolts, &c. fitted.  She was then taken to pieces, carefully packed up, and thus conveyed in plank into the interior, to a distance of four hundred and forty miles, without injury.  She was admirably adapted for the service, and rose as well as could have been expected over the seas in the lake.  It was evident, however, that she would have been much safer if she had had another plank, for she was undoubtedly too low.  The following were her dimensions:—­

Breadth across 7th timber aft, 5 ft. 1/2 an inch outside. 
Across 12th timber, 5 ft. 11 1/4 in. 
Across 17th timber forward, 5 ft.
25 ft. 8 in. in length inside. 
Curve of the keel No. 1, from the after side of each apron, 3 ft. 3 3/4in. 
No. 2, from head to head of the dead wood, 13 1/2 in. 
No. 3, from one end of keel to the other inner side, 3 in. 
No. 4, round of keel from the toe of each dead wood, 7/8 1/16th. 
The timbers were marked, beginning from the stern to the bow on the
starboard side, and from bow to stern on the larboard.

APPENDIX No.  I.

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS.