CH. VI.] NATIVE SIGNALS OF COLUMNS OF SMOKE. 129 



proceedings, and I considered it desirable, under all circum- 

 stances, to return to the camp that night, although the 

 distance was seventeen miles. 



On approaching these remains of INIr. Finch's party, in 

 the morning, I had proceeded under cover of the scrubs 

 that the natives might be as little as possible aware of our 

 movement or intentions. We now returned towards our 

 camp along the original track, as being a direction not only 

 more favourable for the cart, but more expeditious ; for as 

 the route was already marked, no further care respecting 

 the line was necessary, and I could thus devote my whole 

 attention to the natives, who were about. When we reached 

 the head of the highest slope, near the place whence I first 

 saw these ponds, a dense column of smoke ascended from 

 Mount Frazer, and, subsequently, other smokes arose, ex- 

 tending in telegraphic line far to the south, along the base of 

 the mountains ; and thus communicating to the natives, who 

 might be upon our route homewards, the tidings of our re- 

 turn. These signals were distinctly seen by Mr. White at 

 the camp, as well as by us. 



The sun set soon after we passed Mount Frazer, but, for- 

 tunately, not until the woods no longer intervened between us 

 and the camp. On that naked horizon, we might hope at 

 length to see our fires, although they were then nine miles 

 distant, and I knew the bearing sufficiently well to be able 

 to travel by compass nearly in their direction. A few bushes 

 on the outline of the horizon were long useful, as precluding 

 the necessity for repeated references to the compass, but a 

 dark cloud arose beyond and obscured the western horizon. 

 Just then a good old pack-horse, named Rattler, knocked up, 



* This mode of communicating intelligence of sudden danger, so invariably 

 practised by the natives of Australia, seems quite in conformity with the customs 

 of early ages as mentioned in Scripture. " O ye children of Benjamin, gather 

 yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and set ujj a sign of fire in 

 Bsth-haceerem : for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction." 

 — Jer. vi. 1. 



1 K 



