CH. v.] PASSAGE OF THE RIVER. 115 



in the air, when White, mistaking my intention, observed 

 that their vehemence probably arose from their impatience, 

 at our not understanding them, which I thought very likely. 

 They repeated so incessantly the words " Einer," " Einer," 

 that I ran up the bank for my book, remembering to have 

 seen the word, and I then found that " Einer" meant a gin, 

 or fema,le, as will appear on referring to the vocabulary I 

 obtained at WallamouL* The translation of this word pro- 

 duced a hearty laugh among our men, and Finch drily 

 observed, that some would then be very serviceable. I was 

 in doubt, whether they meant to inquire, by frequently 

 pointing up to our tents, if we had any, or whether they 

 wished to accommodate us with wives. At length, they 

 rather suddenly drew together on the bank, again making 

 signs of the corrobory dance, beckoning to some of the men 

 to go with them, and expressing their intention to depart, but 

 to return again to sleep there, by saying " Nangary," and 

 pointing to the ground. This I understood clearly, and very 

 soon they all disappeared. Fortunately, none ascended the 

 bank to our tents, as it was not desirable they should know 

 our numbers exactly. It did not appear, that they under- 

 stood the nature and effect of fire-arms. Meanwhile our 

 wheels had been found so frail, that we must have halted 

 here under any circumstances, in order to strengthen them 

 for the tough work they were to encounter. The carpenters, 

 therefore, worked hard at them this forenoon. In thus 

 returning, I gathered for my friend, Mr. Brown, a hortus 

 siccus, of such plants as appeared new to me ; the field of 

 research being obviously, at this time, confined to our line of 

 route. As soon as the natives were gone, I set all hands, 

 except the carpenters, to extricate the cart, still in the bed 

 of the river ; and it was at length brought up the bank. 

 We next yoked the bullocks to the empty drays and cart on 

 the opposite side, and all were soon brought safely through 

 the river. I preferred doing this work when the natives 



* See Appendix, vol. ii. 



I 2 



