CH. v.] INTERVIEW WITH THE RED TRIBE. 241 



front row, and though he said but little, yet he was addressed 

 by the more forward and talkative. This rough, manly, 

 rosy-faced fellow, was such a figure as Neptune or Jupiter 

 are usually represented ; he had also a flowing beard. The 

 group were almost all marked with the small-pox. 1 could 

 not gain any certain information from them, about the course 

 of the river, or the bearing of the nearest sea ; but they all 

 pointed to the north-north-west, when I made signs of row- 

 ing in water, or of large waves, &c. On quitting them, I 

 presented the king with a greyhound pup and a tomahawk. 

 A total ignorance of the nature of the latter, was a proof, that 

 we were indeed strangers to them ; for, although the tool 

 had a handle, they knew not what use to make of it, until 

 I shewed them. We left them quite delighted with both 

 gifts, which were doubtless as important to them, as the dis- 

 covery of a sea would then have been to me. The journey of 

 this day, opened prospects the most promising for such a dis- 

 covery, for the river from that bend pursued a more westerly 

 course. Ranges beyond ranges arose also in the south-west, 

 while vast plains, without any indication of the Darling 

 among them, extended before us to the west-south-west. 

 I had some trouble indeed to get as near to the river, as 

 was indispensable for encampment ; but at length we halted 

 on a firm bit of ground, close to a very sharp bend in its course. 

 June 24. — We proceeded nearly west, over open ground, 

 skirted on the south by gentle eminences of red earth. There 

 plains of soft naked soil, were most distressing to the bul- 

 locks, and even to horses, and men on foot ; in the general 

 direction of the river, these plains extended to the horizon, 

 but the southern boundary of small hills was a peculiar 

 feature, not observed higher up. Though the base of these 

 eminences consisted of fine blue clay, yet their tops were so 

 sandy and soft, that the carts sank deeper than on the plains. 

 It was my study to keep along the side of these hills, as 

 much as my route would permit; for, in general, the best 

 line for travelling through the valley of the Darling, is along 



1 B 



