The term Boocolo is I believe generally given to the chief or elder of the tribe, and thus was applied by the natives to me, as chief of the party.  The boocolo of the Cawndilla tribe was an old man with grey hairs and rather sharp features, below the ordinary stature, but well made and active.  Of all the race with whom I have communicated, his manners were the most pleasing.  There was a polish in them, a freedom and grace that would have befitted a drawing-room.  It was his wont to visit my tent every day at noon, and to sleep during the heat; but he invariably asked permission to do this before he composed himself to rest, and generally laid down at my feet.  Differing from the majority of the natives, he never asked for anything, and although present during our meals kept away from the table.  If offered anything he received it with becoming dignity, and partook of it without displaying that greedy voracity which the natives generally exhibit over their meals.  He was a man, I should say, in intellect and feeling greatly in advance of his fellows.  We all became exceedingly partial to this old man, and placed every confidence in him; although, as he did not understand the language of the Murray natives, we gained little information from him as to the remote country.

The boocolo of Cawndilla had two sons; but as the circumstances under which they were more particularly brought forward occurred on the return of the expedition from the interior, I shall not mention them here; but will conclude these remarks by describing an event that took place the day after our removal from the Darling.  The men who had been out chaining left the flags standing after their work, and came to the camp.  When Mr. Poole went out the next morning he found that one of them had been taken away.  The natives, when charged with the theft, stoutly denied it, and said that it had been stolen by one of the Darling tribe in returning to the river.  I therefore directed him, as he generally superintended the issue of presents and provisions to the natives, to stop all further supplies.  The old boocolo failed in his endeavours to recover the flag, and the natives who visited the camp were evidently under restraint.  On the following day the boocolo came to my tent, and I spoke angrily to him.  “Why,” I asked, “has the black fellow taken that which did not belong to him?  I do not take anything from you.  I do not kill your kangaroos or take your fish.”  The old man was certainly much annoyed, and went out of the tent to our fire, at which there were several natives with whom he had an earnest conversation; this terminated by two of them starting for the Darling, from whence, on the following day, they brought back the flag and staff, which they said had been taken by three of the Darling natives as they had stated already.  Probably such was the case, and we admitted the excuse.

The base line was completed on the 19th, and measured six miles.  I was anxious to have made it of greater length, but the ground would not admit of it.  The angles were necessarily very acute; but the bearings were frequently repeated, and found to agree.  I was the less anxious on the point because my intention was to check any error by another line as soon as I could.