20 SURPRISE OF NATIVES AT THE WELL. 



merely resting their toes in a slight notch cut as 

 they ascend, the natives will hesitate in alarm 

 before looking over the edge of a precipice or 

 height ; it was, therefore, some time before this 

 party could be induced to look down the well. At 

 length by stretching their spare bodies and necks 

 to the utmost, they caught sight of the water in the 

 bottom. The effect upon them was magical, and 

 they stood at first as if electrified. At length their 

 feelings gained vent, and from their lips proceeded 

 an almost mad shout of delight. Nothing perhaps 

 could have more decisively shewn the superiority 

 of the white men to these savages, than our bein^ 

 thus able to procure this necessary of life from so 

 great a depth, there being moreover no outward 

 appearance of any. Perhaps their delight may be 

 considered a sign how scarce is water in this part of 

 the country. I should certainly say from the immense 

 quantity each man drank, which was two quarts, 

 that this was the case. A further corroboration of 

 the extreme importance of this element to the Wes- 

 tern Australian is, that a native, in describing a fine 

 country, always opens his narrative by stating the 

 important fact — " plenty water." 



The deep interest which in the natives always 

 succeeds to the discovery of this necessary article, 

 must strongly impress the explorer, who will ever 

 afterwards look upon streams, even in other countries, 

 with far different feelings from any before expe- 

 rienced. In no land does the presence of water 



