The party at the tents simultaneously took counsel together and, agreeing that it would be imprudent in their small number to hold intercourse, under the existing circumstances, with so large a body of natives, it was resolved not to allow them to approach beyond a certain point, and, in the event of any armed portion passing the stream towards the tents in disregard of their signals, then to fire on them one by one.
PROCEEDINGS AT THE CAMP.
In the meantime the women and little children moved round the hill, examining everything with the most intense delight: a pony which was in front of the camp more particularly excited their attention; the little children laughed loudly at it, and appeared also to laugh at the party themselves, regarding them much the same way that little boys do a stranger in foreign costume when he appears in the streets of a country village in England.

The native men regarded the pony more seriously; they walked round and round, examining it carefully, and when the little stallion, becoming playful from these marks of attention, neighed, put down his head, and prepared to fight and kick vigorously, they all beat a precipitate retreat.
The party at the tents overlooked all their movements and heard every word that was uttered.

They describe the language this people spoke as clear, distinct, and agreeable to the ear; the men they observed to be a fine race, tall and athletic: two were remarked in particular, one of whom was very tall, and had his forehead and face painted with white (their sign of mourning, and that there is a death to avenge) whilst the other was of a far lighter shade of colour than the rest, and these two appeared to direct the general movements.
After some time distant shouts were heard from other natives in the direction in which my party had seen me go; and a large body of the native men instantly hurried off in that quarter, headed by the tall man and the light-coloured one I have just mentioned.

Then ensued a pause of about two hours, during which the native women and children wandered about in the distance, conversing in groups: suddenly was heard shouts, as of distress, from the same quarter, which were answered by the natives in front of the camp, when all moved off in a hurried manner and were seen there no more.

But in the interim another scene connected with this had been passing at a distance.
EVENTS IN TRACING A ROAD.
On quitting the camp in the morning I and my two companions traversed for some time portions of the elevated sandstone plains which I had passed on a former occasion; and, after an hour's walking through the gloomy stringy-bark forest which covered them, we reached a stream of water running in a shallow valley; and as there was a bad route down to this I halted to make a road which the ponies could traverse.