184 INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES. [CH. III. 



I continued my journey far to the southward, in order to 

 ascertain what water was nearest in that direction, as it was 

 probable, were any found, that Mr. Cunningham, if alive, 

 must have reached it, and I had in vain sought his track on 

 the other side of the country. I soon came to undulating 

 ground, or low hills of quartzose gravel without any grass, 

 consisting of unabraded small angular fragments of quartz. 

 1 observed a few trees of the iron-bark eucalyptus, and pines 

 or callitris, on the highest grounds. At twenty miles from 

 our camp, we crossed a grassy flat, in which we at length 

 found a chain of ponds, falling to the south-south-east, and 

 also about them were recent marks of natives. At length 

 I espied two at a distance, as I proceeded along the valley. 

 In vain we cooyed, and beckoned to them to approach ; it 

 was clear they would not come to us ; on seeing which, I 

 left the men and horses and walked towards them, carrying 

 a green bough before me. They seemed at once to under- 

 stand this emblem of peace ; for, as soon as I was near 

 enough for them to see it, they laid down their spears and 

 waddies, and sat down on the ground to receive me. Not a 

 word, however, could they understand, being evidently quite 

 strangers to the colonists. They were both rather old men, 

 but very athletic, and of commanding air and stature, the 

 body of one was painted with pipe-clay, that of the other 

 with yellow ochre ; and through these tints their well-defined 

 muscles, firm as those of some antique torso, stood out in 

 bold relief in the beams of the setting sun. The two made a 

 fine group, on which dress would have been quite super- 

 fluous, and absolutely a blot on the picture. 



No gesture of mine could convey the idea, with which I 

 wished so much to injpress them, of my mdivoh^ov another white 

 man, and after using every kind of gesture, in vain, J made 

 a bow in despaii", and departed. They rose at the same tiuje, 

 apparently glad (from fear; to jjCc me going, and motioned, 

 as if to say, *' you may depart now, we are friends.'' f )iic! 

 of them who sat behind, and wlio appeared to be the older of 



