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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
natives had encamped a day or two before he saw the remains of hones of 
one of them which had been burnt ; and he further describes an apparatus 
of poles stuck in the ground, making a framework about eight feet high, 
which he supposes to have been used by them for smoke-drying a black- 
fellow. This, he says, is a new feature in their customs. In many cases 
the natives ran off as fast as they could as soon as they saw the white men, 
yelling and squalling fearfully. On being overtaken, one of them held up 
a green bough as a flag of truce. A singular character was met with on the 
banks of Roper River. A number of natives being seen to approach the 
camp about sundown, preparations were made to receive them. They 
appeared friendly, however, and the attention of Mr. Stuart’s party was 
attracted by an old man, whose legs are described as being about four feet 
long, and his body in all seven feet high, and so remarkably thin that he 
appeared to be a perfect shadow. A fish-hook in the hat of one of the 
whites attracted his attention, and making signs that he wished for it, it 
was given to him, at which he seemed delighted, and handed it over to his 
son, a short stout man, who was laughing all the time. But although appa- 
rently friendly, it was necessary to be ever on the watch, for they were not 
to be trusted. They would follow up the party during the night without 
being seen, though their tracks betrayed them in the morning. They will 
pretend the greatest friendship one moment, and spear you the next. The 
women are all small and very ugly. 
Of course, in such an adventurous journey, the horses were most 
valuable auxiliaries, and their efficiency was watched with jealous care. 
Several mishaps occurred in connection with them. On the 11th of May 
the packhorse died, leaving them in a very awkward predicament. The 
want of water told upon the poor animals, and it was necessary sometimes 
to halt for two or three days to recruit their failing strength. One of the 
riding horses bolted into the forest, tearing his saddle all to pieces, but was 
recovered without further accident. On another occasion, one of the 
horses became bogged in a creek, and was with difficulty extricated ; and 
another, less fortunate, was so completely fixed that in the endeavour to 
get him out the rope broke, and falling into water he was drowned. The 
carcase was extricated next day, and dried, and they all enjoyed a 
delightful change of diet. It was a great treat, “for the horse eats 
remarkably well, though not quite so good as bullock.” Then their shoes 
came off, and the poor beasts were all lamed, till it was determined to stop 
and shoe their fore-feet with the shoes which were intended to be saved to 
take them back over the stony ground of S. Australia. At another time, 
a horse vanished during the night, and was not seen again. These and 
similar casualties must have been trying in the extreme to men whose 
lives depended upon the assistance of these valuable quadrupeds. 
At length, on J uly 25th, everything combined to show Mr. Stuart that 
they were approaching the seacoast. “ Stopped the horses to clear a way 
(through the belt of scrub fringing the beach) whilst I advanced a few 
yards on to the beach, and was gratified and delighted to behold the water 
of the Indian Ocean in Van Diemen’s Gulf before the party with the 
horses knew anything of its proximity. Thring, who rode in advance of 
me, called out ‘ The sea ! ’ which so took them all by surprise, that he had 
