CH. v.] CATARACT IN THE DARLING. 231 



large and remarkable gum-tree, and on the side next the 

 river, the letters H. H. appeared, although the cross-line of 

 one H had o-rown out. The letters seemed to have been cut 

 with a tomahawk, and were about five inches in length. The 

 men cut my initials also on that tree, which to my regret I 

 was prevented from seeing, by a desire to attain a certain 

 point with the party, which I was consequently obliged to 

 lead. We travelled for this purpose until after sunset, and 

 then encamped at a distance of about a mile and a half to 

 the southward of a bend of the Darling. Here, the river 

 formed a cataract of about two feet, falling over some argil- 

 laceous iron-stone: and as the waters glittered in the moon- 

 light, I listened with awe to the unwonted murmur of this 

 mysterious stream ; which poured through the heart of a 

 desert, by its single channel, that element so essential to the 

 existence of all animals. One of the men (Robert Whiting) 

 had examined the river a mile and a half above the fall, and 

 found the water there so very salt that he could not drink it, 

 and he, therefore, proceeded downwards to this fall, where it 

 proved to be good. 



June 11. — In the morning, while examining the river 

 below the fall, some natives hailed me, from the opposite 

 side, and soon afterwards, having slyly swam the river, they 

 stole suddenly upon us, while 1 sat drawing the cataract. 

 One of our men heard them creeping along the bank above 

 us, whereupon the whole party stood up and laughed. 

 Among them I recognized the old man, whom I had seen 

 a few days previously on my excursion lower down the 

 river. There was another old man, who was more intelli- 

 gent and less covetous than the rest. I gave him a clasp- 

 knife, with which he appeared much pleased, making the 

 most expressive gestures of friendship and kindness, by 

 clasping me around the neck, and patting my back. The 

 number of this tribe, amounted to about twenty. I remarked 

 among them an old woman, having under her especial care, 

 a very fine looking young one. They had swam across the 



