Called it the “Darling”.

As soon as we had bathed and finished our scanty meal, I took the bearings of D’Urban’s Group, and found them to be S. 58 E. about thirty-three miles distant; and as we mounted our horses, I named the river the “Darling,” as a lasting memorial of the respect I bear the governor.

Abandon the attempt.

I should be doing injustice to Mr. Hume and my men, if I did not express my conviction that they were extremely unwilling to yield to circumstances, and that, had I determined on continuing the journey, they would have followed me with cheerfulness, whatever the consequences might have been.

CHAPTER III.

Intercourse with the natives—­Their appearance and condition—­Remarks on the Salt or Darling River—­Appearance of the marshes on our return—­ Alarm for safety of the provision party—­Return to Mount Harris—­Miserable condition of the natives—­Circumstances attending the slaughter of two Irish runaways—­Bend our course towards the Castlereagh—­Wallis’s Ponds—­ Find the famished natives feeding on gum—­Channel of the Castlereagh—­ Character of the country in its vicinity—­Another tribe of natives—­ Amicable intercourse with them—­Morrisset’s chain of Ponds—­Again reach the Darling River ninety miles higher up than where we first struck upon it.

We kept near the river as we journeyed homewards, and in striking across a plain, found an isolated rock of quartz and jasper, just showing itself partially above the surface of the ground.

We were anxious to get to the small plain I have mentioned, if possible, for the sake of the animals, and pushed on rapidly for it.  About 4 p.m. we had reached our sleeping place of the previous evening, and being overpowered by thirst, we stopped in hopes that by making our tea strong we might destroy, in some measure, the nauseous taste of the water.  The horses were spancelled and a fire lit.  Whilst we were sitting patiently for the boiling of the tins, Mr. Hume observed at a considerable distance above us, a large body of natives under some gum trees.  They were not near enough for us to observe them distinctly, but it was evident that they were watching our motions.  We did not take any notice of them for some time, but at last I thought it better to call out to them, and accordingly requested Mr. Hume to do so.  In a moment the whole of them ran forward and dashed into the river, having been on the opposite side, with an uproar I had never witnessed on any former occasion.

Intercourse with natives.

Mr. Hume thought they intended an attack, and the horses had taken fright and galloped away.  I determined, therefore, to fire at once upon them if they pressed up the bank on which we were posted.  Mr. Hume went with me to the crest of it, and we rather angrily beckoned to the foremost of the natives to stop.  They mistook our meaning, but laid all their spears in a heap as they came up.  We then sat down on the bank and they immediately did the same; nor did they stir until we beckoned to them after the horses had been secured.