ON THE NATIVE TRIBES. 
469 
300 natives, whose angry passions were inflamed, and 
who were bent upon shedding each others’ blood. 
By the assistance of the natives, I was enabled in 
December 1843, to ascend the Darling river as far as 
Laidley’s Ponds (above 300 miles from Moomnde) 
when accompanied only by two other Europeans, 
and should have probably been enabled to reach 
Mount Lyell (100 miles further) but that a severe 
attack of illness compelled me to return. My jour- 
ney up the Darling had, however, this good effect, 
that it opened a friendly communication with natives 
who had never before come in contact with the 
white man, except in enmity or in contest, and 
paved the way for a passage upon friendly terms of 
any expedition that might be sent by that route to 
explore the continent. Little did I anticipate at the 
time, how soon such an expedition was to be under- 
taken, and how strongly and how successfully the 
good results I so confidently hoped for were to be 
fully tested. 
In August 1844, Captain Sturt passed up the 
Murray to explore the country north-west of the 
Darling, and whilst at Moorunde, on his route, was 
supplied with a Moorunde boy to accompany his 
party to track stock, and also with a native of the 
Rufus named Nad -buck, to go as guide and inter- 
preter to the Darling. The latter native had accom- 
panied me to Laidley’s Ponds in December 1843, 
and had come down to Moorunde, according to a 
promise he then made me, to visit me in the winter, 
