In the morning, we found the natives had left all their ponderous spears at their fires, which were broken up and burnt.  We were surprised to find that our friend had left every thing in like manner behind him—­his spears, his nets, and his tomahawk; but as he had kept so wholly aloof from the other blacks, I thought it highly improbable that he had joined them, and the men were of opinion that he had retreated across the plain into the wood.  On looking in that direction we observed some smoke rising among the trees at a little distance from the outskirts of the plain, and under an impression that I should find the native at the fire with his family, I took his spears and tomahawk, and walked across the plain, unattended into the wood.  I had not entered it more than fifty yards when I saw a group of four natives, sitting round a small fire.  One of them, as I approached, rose up and met me, and in him I recognised the man for whom I was seeking.  When near enough, I stuck the spears upright into the ground.  The poor man stood thunderstruck; he spoke not, he moved not, neither did he raise his eyes from the ground.  I had kept the tomahawk out of his sight, but I now produced and offered it to him.  He gave a short exclamation as his eyes caught sight of it, but he remained otherwise silent before me, and refused to grasp the tomahawk, which accordingly fell to the ground.  I had evidently excited the man’s feelings, but it is difficult to say how he was affected.  His manner indicated shame and surprise, and the sequel will prove that both these feelings must have possessed him.  While we were thus standing together, his two wives came up, to whom, after pointing to the spears and tomahawk, he said something, without, however, looking at me; and they both instantly burst into tears and wept aloud.  I was really embarrassed during so unexpected a scene, and to break it, invited the native to the camp, but I motioned with my hand, as I had not my gun with me, that I would shoot any other of the blacks who followed me.  He distinctly understood my meaning, and intimated as distinctly to me that they should not follow us; nor did they.  We were never again molested by them.

I left him then, and, returning to the camp, told M’Leay my adventure, with which he was highly delighted.  My object is this procedure was to convince the natives, generally, that we came not among them to injure or to molest them, as well as to impress them with an idea of our superior intelligence; and I am led to indulge the hope that I succeeded.  Certain it is, that an act of justice or of lenity has frequently, if well timed, more weight than the utmost stretch of severity.  With savages, more particularly, to exhibit any fear, distrust, or irresolution, will inevitably prove injurious.

But although these adventures were happily not attended with bloodshed, they harassed the men much; and our camp for near a week was more like an outpost picquet than any thing else.  This, however, terminated all attempts on the part of the natives.  From henceforth none of them followed us on our route.