NEW SOUTH WALES, 24b 



sion of demoniac malice, as though he would have run him through 

 with pleasure ; but he did not speak a word in reply to all that was 

 said to him. 



Friday, 13th December, the morning being chilly, the blacks, who 

 are very susceptible to cold, did not make their appearance till some 

 hours after sunrise. At half-past eight our travellers set out in com- 

 pany with a troop of natives, headed by the two whom they had hired. 

 The first of these was named Jemmy, the best-natured and most intel- 

 ligent of all ; the other was Big-headed Blackboy, who had got over 

 his sulks. Jemmy refused to start until he had received a couple of 

 shillings, which he forthwith converted into a loaf of bread and a 

 bottle of grog. When about a mile from the town he asked permis- 

 sion to take a drink ; and a cup of bark was produced from a thicket 

 w r here it had been hidden, whereupon the contents of the bottle as well 

 as the loaf were shared out among the troop. The two guides took no 

 more than an equal portion ; for, according to the custom of the natives, 

 all share alike. The cup was made of a piece of the bark of the ti 

 tree, which resembles that of the birch, about a foot square. The ends 

 were folded in and tied together, to form a cavity of trough-like shape. 

 Such cups are called by them taude. The path or cart-road they 

 followed, passed through a hilly country covered with forests. The 

 gum trees were the most prevalent, and many of them were of great 

 size, growing close together without any underwood. 



The gum tree, of which there are many kinds, is peculiar to New 

 Holland. It has an inner bark of about an inch thick, enclosed by an 

 outer one which is quite thin. The latter is shed every year, which 

 gives their trunks and branches a peculiar appearance of many 

 colours, from pure white, through all the shades of yellow, olive, and 

 red, to a deep brown. These colours, showing through the green 

 foliage, produce a very striking effect on a stranger, and the contrast 

 is heightened by an occasional sight of a black and withered trunk, 

 from which the bark had been stripped by the natives to make canoes, 

 or by settlers to roof their houses. 



Ten miles brought them to Lake Macquarie, but on the opposite 

 side to Mr. Threlkeld's house, and they found themselves disappointed 

 in finding a canoe, which they were assured would be met with at 

 a settler's on the banks of the lake. They were thus obliged to walk 

 ten miles further. The guides were here again taken with sullenness, 

 and refused to proceed. They were proof against all promises and 

 abuse, and kept replying, " Me marry (very) tired, bel (not) me want 

 to go." Through the kindness of Mr. Warren, the settler referred to, 

 this obstacle was overcome, by his offering to send his son as guide, 



vol. ii. 32 



