Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South WalesMitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
History
Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South Wales
Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone), 1792-1855
We had not proceeded far through the scrub on the top of the precipice
overhanging the river when the usual alarm term "the natives" was passed
along to me from the people in the rear of our party. Piper had been told
that we should soon see the other division of the Darling tribe, which
was still ahead of us; and I concluded that these natives belonged to it
and were awaiting us at this point where, as they had foreseen, we were
sure to come upon the river. Four or five advanced up to us while the
rest followed among the bushes behind. I recognised two men whom I saw
last year on the Darling. They begged hard for axes and held out green
boughs, but I had not forgotten the treachery of their burning boughs on
our former interview and, thinking I recognised the tall man who had been
the originator of the war, I went up to him with no very kind feeling;
but I was informed he was only that man's brother. My altered manner
however was enough for their quick glance; and indeed one of the best
proofs that these natives belonged to the Darling tribe was the attention
with which they watched me when they asked for tomahawks, and their
speaking so much to Piper about Majy. Of the evil tendency of giving
these people presents I was now convinced, and fully determined not to
give more then. This resolution the natives having discovered very
acutely, their ringleaders vanished like phantoms down the steep cliffs,
and we heard no more of the rest. It is possible that this portion of the
tribe had not then received intelligence of what had befallen the others
or they would not have advanced so boldly up. Be that as it may they
followed us no more, having probably heard in the course of the day from
the division of the tribe which we had driven across the Murray.
BARREN SANDS AND THE EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA. PLANTS WHICH GROW ON THE SAND AND
BIND IT DOWN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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