native armoury. 
129 
to the tiibe we had left behind us, we pointed to the junc- 
tion, and motioned them to go there, but one of the party 
continued to follow and call to us for some time. On our 
return to the men, we found that the natives bad joined 
them, and they now gave us to understand that we were 
going away from water. This had indeed been apparent to 
us. The creek was perfectly dry, as far as we traced 
It up; and seemed to have been totally deserted by the 
natives. 
We were about to proceed on our journey, when from 
twenty to thirty natives approached us from down the 
river. We sent two of those who had been with us to 
them, and the whole accompained us for some miles, talking 
incessantly to the men, but keeping at a very respectful 
distance from the animals. We at length got opposite to 
their camp, near which there was a very fine pool of water, 
and they were earnest in persuading us to stop at it. We 
were, however, too anxious to get forward to comply; under 
the improved appearance of the river since it had received 
the creeks from the eastward, little anticipating what was 
before us. 
The natives did not follow us beyond their own encamp- 
ment. Within sight of it, we came upon their armoury if 
I may so term it. Numerous spears were reared against 
the trees, and heaps of boomerangs were lying on the 
ground. The spears were very heavy, and half barbed ; 
and It IS singular that three of them were marked with a 
broad arrow. We saw the natives watching us, fearful, 1 
VOL. 1. 
K 
