CHAPTER XIV.
An eventful meeting--Civilisation at last--Rage and despair--A white man's tracks--Yamba's find--Good Samaritans--Bitter disappointment--Bruno as guardian--A heavy burden--A strange invitation--The mysterious monster--"Come, and be our chief"-- I discover a half-caste girl--The fate of Leichhardt--"In the valley of the shadow"-- A sane white man--Gibson is dying--Vain efforts--Unearthly voices.
When we had been on the march southwards about nine months there came one of the most important incidents in my life, and one which completely changed my plans.

One day we came across a party of about eight natives--all young fellows--who were on a punitive expedition; and as they were going in our direction (they overtook us going south), we walked along with them for the sake of their company.

The country through which we were passing at that time is a dreary, undulating expanse of spinifex desert, with a few scattered and weird-looking palms, a little scrub, and scarcely any signs of animal life.

The further east we went, the better grew the country; but, on the other hand, when we went westward we got farther and farther into the dreary wastes.

At the spot I have in my mind ranges loomed to the south--a sight which cheered me considerably, for somehow I thought I should soon strike civilisation.
Had not the blacks we were with taken us to some wells we would have fared very badly indeed in this region, as no water could be found except by digging.