All The Country Intervening
Between The Creeks And The Plain Was Undulating Stringy-Bark Forest.
I
left my companions in the shady belt of drooping tea-trees, and rode with
Charley towards the natives, in order to obtain information.
They were,
however, only women and children, and they withdrew at my approach,
although I had dismounted and left my horse far behind with Charley. They
had, however, allowed me to come near enough to make them understand my
incessant calls for "obeit," water, adding occasionally "Balanda; very
good; no good." When they had disappeared in the forest, Charley came
with the horse, and we reconnoitred along the boundaries of the plain to
find water, but not succeeding, we returned; and, when opposite to the
place where I had left my companions, I cooeed for them to come over to
me. My cooee was answered by natives within the forest, and, shortly
afterwards four men came running out of it, and approached us most
familiarly. They spoke English tolerably, knew the pipe, tobacco, bread,
rice, ponies, guns, etc.; and guided us to a fine lagoon, which I named
after the leading man of their tribe, "Nyuall's Lagoon." Two of them
promised to pilot us to Balanda and to "Rambal," which meant houses. They
were very confiding, and women and children entered for the first time
freely into our camp.
They examined every thing, but made not the slightest attempt to rob us
even of a trifle. When the women returned at night, they did not bring
"Allamurr," or, as it was here called, "Murnatt," but plenty of
"Imberbi," the root of Convolvolus, which grow abundantly in the plain:
they gave us a very seasonable supply of it, but would not taste our
dried beef, which they turned, broke, smelled, and then with a feeling of
pity and disgust returned to us.
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