CH. v.] A ^'UMEROUS TRIBE. 113 



the sun had gone down. The crossing place was extremely 

 bad, and the poor cattle had accomplished a wonderful day's 

 work ; nevertheless, I considered it necessary, whatever 

 efforts it might cost us, to encamp on the other side. That 

 bank afforded an admirable position on which I could with 

 safety halt the next day, and guard our cattle within a fine 

 turn of the river ; whereas the side on which we were, was 

 particularly exposed to annoyance, if the natives became 

 troublesome ; and it did not command any favourable run 

 for the cattle, which might thus have strayed back towards 

 the Karaula. Our lightest cart, which was the first, stuck 

 fast in the bed of the river ; the tired bullocks being unable 

 to draw it further. The moon was about five days old, and 

 with the assistance of its light, every thing was carried across 

 by the men, so that by nine o'clock, we had established our 

 camp where I wished, the empty carts alone remaining on 

 the bank, which we had left. The party had been travelling 

 and working hard without intermission, during 16 hours, 

 some men not having even breakfasted : but the next morn- 

 ing unveiled to them more clearly the advantages gained by 

 these exertions. 



Feh. 9. — I was awoke by the shouts of a numerous tribe 

 of natives, and on going out of my tent, I found that 

 they covered the opposite bank to the water's edge. They 

 stood on our empty carts in scores like so many sparrows, 

 and on every old tree or stump likely to afford them a better 

 view of my camp. But I overlooked them completely, and 

 as they became more and more vehement in their language 

 and gestures, the greater was our satisfaction in being on the 

 right side of the river. What they did say, we could not 

 guess ; but by their loud clamour and gestures, all the lead- 

 ing men seemed to be in a most violent passion. One word 

 only they knew of the language spoken by our stockmen, and 

 that was " budgery," or good ; and this I concluded they 

 had learnt at some interview with Dawkins, who used it ever 

 and anon, in addressing them. They were handling every- 

 1 I 



