STATION AT MOORUNDE. 
471 
willing to undertake so long a journey ; the arrival, therefore, of 
a messenger from Moorunde was a most welcome occurrence, as 
he proposes returning to that place immediately, and will be the 
bearer of this communication to you. 
“ In continuing, for his Excellency’s information, the detail of 
the proceedings of the expedition under my orders since I last 
addressed you, I have the honour to state that I had advanced a 
considerable way up the Darling before I ascertained satisfac- 
torily the true grounds of the report I had heard at Lake Vic- 
toria, and was enabled to dismiss all further anxiety on the subject 
from my mind. 
“ It referred to the affray which took place on the Darling, 
opposite to Laidley’s Ponds, between Major Mitchell and the 
natives ; and I conclude that the circumstance of our being about 
to proceed to the same place, recalled a transaction which had 
occurred eight years ago to their minds ; for we can trace a con- 
nection between the story we heard at the Lake, and what we 
have heard upon the spot ; but all the circumstances were at first 
told to us with such minuteness, that coupling them with the 
character Major Mitchell has given of the Darling natives, and 
the generally received opinion of their ferocity and daring, we 
could hardly refuse giving a certain degree of credit to what we 
heard ; more especially as it was once or twice confirmed by 
natives with whom we communicated on our way up the river. I 
really feared we should come into collision with these people, 
despite my reluctance to proceed to extremities ; but it will be 
satisfactory to his Excellency, as I trust it will to Lord Stanley, 
to know that we have passed up the Darling on the most friendly 
terms with the native tribes, insomuch that I may venture to 
hope that our intercourse with them will be productive of much 
good. So far from the show of any hostility, they may have in- 
variably approached us unarmed, nor have we seen a weapon in 
the hands of a native since we touched upon the river. They 
have constantly slept at our fires , and shewn by their manner 
that they had every confidence in us } bringing their wives and 
children to the camp , nor at any time giving us the least annoy - 
