CH. III.] FIVE NATIVES. ] 93 



SO careless about our scrutiny, that I could not think he 

 had obtained the handkerchief by any violence; and still less 

 from Mr. Cunningham, as it was engrained with a smoky 

 tinge, apparently derived from having been long in his pos- 

 session. No mark was upon it, and the only information, 

 we could obtain, as to where they got it, was the answer 

 " old fellow," and pointing to the north-east. As these men 

 had been at some out-station of ours, and could speak a little 

 English, and as they had a young kangaroo dog, called by 

 them " olony" (Maloney), I did not think at the time that 

 the handkerchief had belonged to Mr. Cunningham ; and 

 the men appointed to attend him, declared, they had never 

 seen that handkerchief in his hands. 



These five natives were overtaken suddenly, at a water- 

 hole two miles lowerdown the Bogan. The name of him, with 

 the handkerchief, was " Werrajouit," those of the other four 

 " Yarree Buckenba," and "Tackijally Buckenba/' (brothers) 

 " Youimooba," and " Werrayoy," (youths). The most intel- 

 ligent was " Tackijally," and even he understood but little, 

 not enough to comprehend any thing I said, about the white 

 man lost in the hush. 



To secure their good will and best services, however, I 

 immediately gave them three tomahawks ; and when Yarree 

 Buckenba took a new handkei-chief from my pocket, I pre- 

 seftted him with it. They accompanied us, when we moved 

 forward to encamp nearer water. We passed a small pond, 

 the name of which was Burdenda, and afterwards came to 

 Cudduldury, where we encamped, with the intention of 

 making what further search we could for Mr. Cunningham. 

 While the men were pitching the tents, at this place, I 

 rode with the natives, at their request, towards some ponds 

 lower down. There, by their cooys and their looks, they 

 seemed to be very anxious about somebody in the bush, 

 beyond the Bogan. I expected to see their chief; at all 

 events, from these silent woods something was to emerge. 



