CH. VI.] HOSTILE MOVEMENTS. 251 



tbe part of the thief, who was a stout fellow and carried a 

 spear, which he seemed inclined to use. Notwithstanding 

 all the vigilance of several men appointed to watch the arti- 

 cles about the forge, an excellent rasp or file was carried off. 

 The natives left our party, however, in a perfectly civil way, 

 and we were right glad to feel at peace with them, on any 

 terms. 



June 29. — At length we were ready to quit this spot, and 

 gladly continued our journey, in hopes of leaving our trou- 

 blesome neighbours also. After proceeding some way, 

 however, Mr. Larmer's horse pitched him over its head, 

 and galloped back to the place, which we had so willingly 

 quitted. Just then the natives emerged from their woods in 

 greater numbers than ever, being painted white, many 

 carrying spears, and shouting. This startled the horse and 

 made him again gallop away, and we halted on the edge of 

 a plain until Mr. Larmer recovered the animal; which was 

 the more easily accomplished, as the attention of the natives 

 was fortunately fixed chiefly on us. They repeated all their 

 menaces and expressions of defiance, and as we again 

 proceeded, the whole of their woods appeared in flames. I 

 never saw such unfavourable specimens of the aborigines as 

 these children of the smoke, they were so barbarously and 

 implacably hostile and shamelessly dishonest, and so little 

 influenced by reason, that the more they saw of our superior 

 weapons and means of defence, the more they shewed their 

 hatred and tokens of defiance. The day's journey was over 

 a firmer surface than usual, and we encamped on a bend of 

 the river in latitude 31° 36' 48'' S. 



June 30. — The party moved off early. The ground we 

 travelled over, or rather through, was very soft and exceed- 

 ingly heavy for the draught animals. At about five miles, 

 we approached a line of trees, extending from the hollow, 



never do it before their superiors. But Sir J. Cliardiii's MS. goes mucli fur- 

 ther; he tells us, in a note on Numb. xii. 14, that spitting before any one, or 

 spitting upon the ground in speaking of any one's actions, is throughout the 

 East, an expression of extreme detestation." — Harmer, vol. iv, page 420. 



