CH. v.] INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES. 225 



of SO delicious a feast, as this verdure must have ap- 

 peared to him. The ground seemed to rise before me, and I 

 was proceeding with the intention of ascending the nearest 

 elevation, to look for the Darling, when I suddenly came 

 upon its banks, which were higher, and its bed was broader 

 and deeper than ever ! We had also arrived on it at a point 

 occupied by a numerous tribe of blacks, judging by the num- 

 ber of fires, which we saw through the trees. Their roads 

 appeared in all directions, and their gins were fishing in the 

 river at a distance. In short, the buzz of population gave to 

 the banks, at this place, the cheerful character of a village 

 in a populous country. Conscious of the alarm, our first 

 appearance was likely to produce, although I could not sup- 

 pose, that all the inhabitants would run off, I hastened to 

 the water edge with our horses (for they had not drank that 

 morning), in order that we might, after refreshing them, 

 recover a position favourable for a parley, with whoever 

 might approach us. I was much pleased, though surprised, 

 to find the water again quite fresh, and its current still sus- 

 tained.* Our appearance caused less alarm, than I had 

 even expected. A sturdy man hailed me from a distance, 

 and came boldly up, followed by another very athletic, though 

 old individual, and six younger men with an old woman. I 

 alighted and met them, after sending, at their request, the 

 horses out of sight. With difficulty, I persuaded them at 

 length to go near the horses ; but I endeavoured in vain to 

 gain any information, as to the further course of the river. 

 The Calle-ioatta was still their name for it, as it was higher 

 up. I observed here that the old woman was a loquacious 

 and most influential personage, scarcely allowing the older 

 of the men to say a word. The curiosity of these people 

 was too intense to admit of much attention on their part, at 

 that time, either to our words or gestures, so, after giving 

 them a tomahawk and two large nails, and refusing to let 



* See pages 298-9. 

 1 Q 



