74 ENCOUNTER WITH A NATIVE. [CH. III. 



country to us, and after so much privation, heat and expo- 

 sure — the living stream and umbrageous foliage, gave us 

 a grateful sense of abundance, coolness, and shade. Trees 

 of great magnitude give a grandness of character to any 

 landscape, but especially to river scenery. The blue gum 

 (eucalyptus) luxuriates on the margin of rivers, and grows 

 in such situations to an enormous size. Such trees overhung 

 the water of the Gwydir, forming dense masses of shade, 

 in which white cockatoos {Plyctolophus galeritus), sported 

 like spirits of light. 



As soon as I had fixed on the camp, 1 forded the river, 

 accompanied by Woods carrying my rifle. The water where 

 I crossed did not reach above the ankle, but the steepness of 

 the banks on each side was a great obstacle to the passage of 

 my horse. I proceeded due north, in search of rising ground, 

 but the whole country seemed quite level. After crossing an 

 open plain of about two miles in length, I entered a brush 

 of acacia pendula, and soon after I arrived at an old chan- 

 nel or hollow scooped out by floods. As I approached a 

 line of bushes, I saw a kangaroo, which sat looking at my 

 horse, until we were very near it, and I was asking Woods, 

 whether he thought we could manage to carry it back, if I 

 shot it; when my horse suddenly pricking his ears, drew 

 my attention to a native, apparently also intent on the 

 kangaroo, and having two spears on his shoulder. On per- 

 ceiving me, he stood and stared for a moment, then taking 

 one step back, and swinging his right arm in the air, he 

 poised one of his spears, and stood stretched out in an atti- 

 tude to throw, lie was a tall man, covered with pipe-clay, 

 and his position of defiance then, as he could never have 

 before seen a horse, was manly enough. It was not prudent 

 to retire at that moment, although I was most anxious to 

 avoid a quarrel. I therefore galloped my horse at the 

 native, which had the desired effect; for he innnediately 

 turned, and disappeared at a dog-trot among the bushes. 

 By going forward, 1 gained a convenient cover, which 



