63 
THE COLAKE, OR LACHLAN. 
chief or only object was to pilfer anything they could. We 
did not, therefore, treat them with much ceremony. They 
were an ill-featured race, and it was only by strict watching 
dunng the night that they were prevented from committing 
theft. Probably from seeing that we were aware of their 
intentions, they left us early, and pointing somewhat to the 
eastward of north, said they were going to the Colare, and 
on being asked how far it was, they signified that they 
should sleep there. I had on a former occasion recollected 
the term having been made use of by a black on the Mac- 
quarie, when speaking to me of the Lachlan, and had 
questioned one of the young men who was with us at the 
time, and who seemed more intelligent than his com- 
panions, respecting it. Immediately catching at the word, 
he had pointed to the N. N. W., and, making a sweep with 
his arms raised towards the sky had intimated, evidently, 
that a large sheet of water existed in that direction, in the 
same manner that another black had done on a former oc- 
casion: on being further questioned, he stated that this 
communicated with the Morumbidgee more to the west- 
ward, and on my expressing a desire to go to it, he said we 
could not do so under four days. We had, it appeared, by 
the account of the seven natives, approached within one 
day’s journey of it, and, as I thought it would be advisable 
to gain a little knowledge of the country to the north, I 
suggested to M‘Leay to ride in that direction, while the 
party should be at rest, with some good feed for the cattle 
that fortune had pointed out to us. 
