but to improve with age. The only inconvenience
we had experienced in this process, was a longer detention;
and we had to remain four days, (to the 21st February)
before the provision was fit for packing. On
the 19th, immediately after breakfast, whilst we were
busily employed in greasing our saddles and straps—a
very necessary operation on a journey like ours, where
every thing is exposed to the dust, and a scorching
sun—Charley left the camp, and did not
return before the afternoon. He had frequently
acted thus of late; and it was one of the standing
complaints against him, that he was opossum and honey
hunting, whilst we were kept waiting for our horses
and cattle. As I was determined not to suffer
this, after his late misbehaviour, I reprimanded him,
and told him that I would not allow him any food, should
he again be guilty of such conduct. Upon this,
he burst out into the most violent and abusive language,
and threatened “to stop my jaw,” as he
expressed himself. Finding it, therefore, necessary
to exercise my authority, I approached him to show
him out of the camp, when the fellow gave me a violent
blow on the face, which severely injured me, displacing
two of my lower teeth; upon which my companions interfered,
and manifested a determination to support me, in case
he should refuse to quit us; which I compelled him
to do. When he was going away, Brown told him,
in a very consoling manner, that he would come by and
bye and sleep with him. I was, however, determined
that no one within the camp should have any communication
with him; and therefore told Brown, that he had either
to stop with me entirely, or with Charley. He
answered that he could not quarrel with him; that
he would sleep with him, but return every morning;
and, when I replied that, in such a case, he should
never return, he said that he would stop altogether
with Charley, and walked off. If I had punished
these fellows for their late misconduct, I should
have had no occasion for doing so now: but full
of their own importance, they interpreted my forbearance,
by fancying that I could not proceed without them.
Previous to this occurrence, Charley had, during my absence from the camp, had an interview with the natives, who made him several presents, among which were two fine calabashes which they had cleaned and used for carrying water; the larger one was pear-shaped, about a foot in length, and nine inches in diameter in the broadest part, and held about three pints. The natives patted his head, and hair, and clothing; but they retired immediately, when he afterwards returned to them, accompanied by Mr. Calvert on horseback.