APPARENT OBSTRUCTION OF THE CHANNEL. 209 
moment would have been much more awkward in the event 
ol attack, than when we were in the open channel of the 
Murray ; because we were quite at the mercy of the natives 
if they had closed upon us, and, being directly under the 
banks, should have received every spear, while it would 
have been easy for them to have kept out of sight in assail- 
ing us. 
It was near sunset, the men were tired, and I was look- 
ing out for a convenient place at which to rest, intending 
to punish these natives if they provoked me, or annoyed 
the men. We had not seen any of them for some time, 
when Hopkinson, who was standing in the bow of the boat, 
infotmed me that they had thrown boughs across the river 
to prevent our passage. I was exceedingly indignant at 
this, and pushed on, intending to force the barrier. On our 
nearer approach, a solitary black was observed standing 
O 
close to the river, and abreast of the impediment which 
I imagined they had raised to our further progress. I 
threatened to shoot this man, and pointed to the branches 
that stretched right across the stream. The poor fellow 
uttered not a word, but, putting his hand behind him, 
pulled out a tomahawk from his belt, and held it towards 
me, by way of claiming our acquaintance ; and my anger 
was soon entirely appeased by discovering that the natives 
had been merely setting a net across the river which these 
branches supported. We, consequently, hung back, until 
they had drawn it, and then passed on. 
The black to whom I had spoken so roughly, cut across 
VOL. II. p 
