248 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



covered them with a few small branches ; and this was all the burial we were enabled 

 to give them. 



" 2C)th December. Goddard went into the scrub and shot three pigeons. We 

 ate one at night, and the others we reserved till next day. Our bowels were greatly 

 relaxed, which was partly stayed by eating a few nondas, which we got occasionally. 



" The six weeks having expired which Mr. Kennedy had led me to expect would 

 be the longest period we should have to wait, I now began to fear the rainy season 

 had set in, and filled the creeks to the northward, so that his party had been unable 

 to cross them, or that some untoward accident had happened, which prevented us 

 being relieved. 



" I did not quite despair, but I knew we COULD NOT LIVE LONG. OUR SHOT WAS 

 ALMOST CONSUMED, not having more than eight or ten charges left, and although we 

 had plenty of ball, we were too weak to attempt to form any plan to make shot. Our 

 sole remaining companion, the sheep-dog, I intended to kill in a day or two ; but he 

 would not last long, as he was nothing but skin and bone. 



" 30th December. Early this morning we ate the two pigeons left yesterday and 

 boiled each a quart of tea from the leaves we had left ; but we had not had any fresh 

 tea to put into the pot for a long time. Goddard then went into the bush, to try to 

 get another pigeon or two, and if the natives made their appearance I was to fire a 

 pistol to recall him to the camp. After he had gone I saw NATIVES coming towards 

 the camp, and I immediately fired a pistol ; but before Goddard could return they 

 came into the camp and handed me a piece of paper very much dirtied and torn. 

 I was sure, from the first, by their manner, that there was A VESSEL IN THE BAY. 

 The paper was a NOTE FROM CAPTAIN DOBSON, of the schooner ' Ariel,' but it was so 

 dirtied and torn that I could only read part of it. 



" For a minute or two I was almost senseless with the joy which the hope of our 

 deliverance inspired. I made the natives a few presents, and gave them a note to 

 Captain Dobson, which I made them easily understand I wanted them to take to that 

 gentleman. I was in hopes they would have gone, but I soon found they had other 

 intentions. A great many NATIVES were coming from all quarters well ARMED WITH 

 SPEARS. I had given a shirt to the one who had brought the note and put it on him ; 

 but I saw him throw down the note and pull off the shirt, and picking up his spear he 

 joined the rest, who were preparing to attack us. We were expecting every minute 

 to be attacked and murdered by these savages, our newly awakened hope already 

 beginning to fail, when we SAW CAPTAIN DOBSON and DR. VALLACK, accompanied 

 by JACKEY and a man named BARRETT (who had been wounded a few days before in 

 the arm by a barbed spear), approaching towards us, across the creek. I and my 

 companion, who was preserved with me, must ever be grateful for the prompt courage 

 with which these persons, at the risk of their own lives, came to our assistance, through 

 the scrub and mangroves, a distance of about three miles, surrounded as they were 

 all the way by a large number of armed natives." 



The STRANGE CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES in first bringing Captain 

 Dobson's letter and then refusing to carry the answer was probably 

 caused by an imperfect comprehension of the means of communica- 

 tion. In any case, they, no doubt, thought the Captain's letter 

 would furnish one more PRETEXT FOR A VISIT TO THE CAMP. 

 Understanding, from the directions accompanying the reply, 

 that the besieged knew that relief was coming, they prepared to 

 ANNIHILATE THE SURVIVORS before they could be reinforced by the 

 addition of the new-comers. CARRON'S NARRATIVE approaches 

 the end : 



" I WAS REDUCED ALMOST TO A SKELETON. The elbow bone of my right arm was 

 through the skin, as also the bone of my right hip. My legs were also swollen to an 



