10 NATIVES OF BRISBANE WATER. [CH. 1. 



purpose I ascended that hill on ten successive days, the whole 

 of which time I devoted to the examination of the various 

 outlines and their connections, by means of the theodolite. 



Looking northward, an intermediate and lower range 

 concealed from view the valley of the Hunter, but the sum- 

 mits of the Liverpool range appeared beyond it. On turn- 

 ing to the eastward, my view extended to the unpeopled 

 shores and lonely waters of the vast Pacific. Not a trace of 

 man, or of his existence, was visible on any side, except a 

 distant solitary column of smoke, that arose from a thicket 

 between the hill on which I stood and the coast, and marked 

 the asvlum of a remnant of the aboris-ines. These unfortu- 

 nate creatures could no longer enjoy their solitary freedom ; 

 for the dominion of the white man surrounded them. His 

 sheep and cattle filled the green pastures where the kangaroo 

 (the principal food of the natives) was accustomed to range, 

 until the stranger came from distant lands and claimed the 

 soil. Thus these first inhabitants, hemmed in by the power 

 of the white population, and deprived of the liberty which 

 they formerly enjoyed of wandei'ing at will through their 

 native wilds, were compelled to seek a precarious shelter 

 amidst the close thickets and rocky fastnesses which afforded 

 them a temporary home, but scarcely a subsistence, for their 

 chief support, the kangaroo, was either destroyed or banished. 

 I knew this unhappy tiibc, and had frequently met them in 

 their haunts. In the prosecution of my surveys I was ena- 

 bled to explore the wildest recesses of these deep mountainous 

 ravines, guided occasionally by one or two of their nundjei*. 

 I felt no hesitation in venturing amongst them, for, to mo, 

 they appeared a harmless unofi'cnding race.* On numy a 

 dark night, and even during rainy weathei-, I have proceeded 

 on liorscback amongst these steep and rocky ranges, my path 

 being guided by two young boys belonging to the tribe, who 

 ran cheerfully before my horse, altoinately tearing oil' the 



• Oil my return from llio interior in \M,'t, 1 li.urnt witli iniicli regret, tliut a 

 war liiid coDiinciiced Itetwctn my old Iriend;? mid tlio niouiitefl iiolicc. 



