en. VII.] NATIVE CONVERSATIONS. 279 



In the calm evening of that day, and as the sun was setting, 

 I distinctly heard the women, at a distance of nearly two 

 miles, relating something respecting us to a party of their 

 tribe beyond the Darling. It may be difficult for those un- 

 used to the habits of Australian natives, to understand how 

 this could be ; but it must be remembered, that these people 

 having no fixed domicile, the gins generally form a separate 

 party, but may thus often cairy on a conversation, from a 

 great distance, with their male companions — consequently 

 when a mile apart only, these people may be said to be in 

 company with each other. As the gins are always ordered 

 by their lords and masters to meet them, at such places of 

 rendezvous, as they may think proper, we may account for 

 the well known accuracy of tliese natives in the names, which 

 belong to every locality in their woods. 



Nearly the whole day's journey led through a bushy scrub, 

 and over ground rather soft and heavy. We reached, how- 

 ever, our former place of encampment, which we again oc- 

 cupied ; and we sent our cattle to the river for the night, 

 with a party of four armed men. The evening was extremely 

 cold and raw, the wind blowing from south-west, with 

 drizzling rain. Between us and the river the country was 

 open, but the above-mentioned scrub and low hills were close 

 behind us ; and through this scrub, (as appeared by the foot- 

 marks seen this morning), the gins had passed our camp, 

 and preceded us along our line of route, making towards 

 the river as soon as our track approached an open plain, 

 probably because they could not have continued on the track 

 of the party there, without having been seen by us. 



July 15. — The men returned from the river in good time 

 with the cattle, having neither seen nor heard the natives. 

 The morning was beautiful, and we proceeded, hoping that 

 the fine weather might last. We passed the place where we 

 had halted on the 5th, and continued the journey for a mile 

 or two further in a new direction, by which we cut off a con- 

 siderable detour, and gained in direct distance, about five 



