When they came to the Murray, they found their old enemies awatch for them.

It was afterwards ascertained that many of these aborigines had travelled as far as two hundred miles to assist in chasing back the white intruders once more from their violated hunting-grounds.

But these braves of the Darling did not yet understand the nature of the man they sought to intimidate.
At first a nominal peace prevailed, and for two days the blacks followed the expedition closely, seeking to cut off any stragglers, and rendered the out-roving work of minding and collecting the cattle and horses one of considerable risk.

Mitchell was soon convinced that a sharp lesson was necessary to save his men.

In the event of losing any of his party, he would have had to fight his way back with the warriors of what seemed a thickly-populated district arrayed against him.