240 INTERVIEW WITH THE RED TRIBE. [CH. V. 



disappeared. The Darling took some bends eastward of 

 south ; and we were much troubled during this day's jour- 

 ney, by the soft ground through which we were obliged to 

 travel, in order to keep clear of the river. At length, I 

 could proceed south-west, and on reaching, at 12| miles, a 

 bend in the channel, I saw one of the low ridges extending 

 Avestward. On ascending it 1 discovered a range to the south- 

 west, apparently connected with that already seen to the 

 south, and from the many beaten paths of the natives, it 

 seemed probable that this angle was the nearest to the hilly 

 country which lay to the south-east. There were also per- 

 manent huts on both banks, the first of the kind I had seen, 

 large enough certainly to contain a family of 15 persons ; 

 and in one there had recently been a fire. They were semi- 

 circular, and constructed of branches of trees, well thatched 

 with straw, forming altogether a covering of about a foot in 

 thickness, and they were well able to afford a ready and dry 

 shelter in bad weather. In this respect the inhabitants of 

 that part of the Darling, may be considered somewhat before 

 their brethren further eastward, as rational beings. These 

 permanent huts seemed also to indicate a race of more peace- 

 ful and settled habits, for where the natives are often at war, 

 such Iiabitations could neither be permanent nor safe. The 

 river was here itself again, and not contracted, as at the last 

 encampment. 



June 23. — Early this morning, the natives were heard 

 hailing us from the woods, and as soon as I had breakfasted, 

 I advanced to them with Burnett. They were seventeen 

 in number, and five or six of the foremost held out green 

 boughs. I also pulled one, but they called to me, and 

 beckoned me to lay aside my sword, which I accordingly 

 did, and then they all sat down. They had good, expressive 

 countenances, ))ut they were not strong looking men. One, 

 whose physiognomy I thought very prepossessing, and much 

 iiiij)rovt'd by the cheeks and other features being coloured 

 n'd, appeared to be their chief. He sat in the middle of the 



