NATIVE BOYS RETURN. 
393 
again, as they found they could get nothing to eat 
for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sul- 
lenly at the fire, apparently more chagrined at being 
compelled by necessity to come back to us than 
sorry for having gone away. Having given them 
a lecture, for they both now admitted having stolen 
meat, not only on the night they were detected but 
previously, I gave each some tea and some bread 
and meat, and told them if they behaved well they 
would be treated in every respect as before, and share 
with us our little stock of provisions as long as it 
lasted. 
I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but 
little better than I should have done myself. They 
had been absent four days, and had come home 
nearly starved. For the first two days they got 
only two small bandicoots and found no water ; they 
then turned back, and obtaining a little water in a 
hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had 
passed over, they halted under them to fish, and 
speared a sting-ray ; this they had feasted on yester- 
day, and to-day came from the cliffs to look for us 
without any thing to eat at all. 
During the night some heavy clouds passed over 
our heads, and once a drop or two of rain fell. The 
26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, 
and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, 
in the hope of rain falling, but principally to rest the 
two natives a little after the long walk from which 
they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the 
