presence of a whole host of natives immediately below the camp.  All the morning the little dog had been strangely perturbed, and we knew by the natives’ fires that they were in our immediate neighbourhood.  There was so much long grass and tall rushes in the creek bed, that they could approach very close before we could possibly see them.  So soon as they found themselves detected, as usual they set up the most horrible yells, and, running up on the open ground, sent a flight of spears at us before a rifle or a gun could be seized, and we had to jump behind a large bush, that I left standing on purpose, to escape.  Our stand of arms was there, and we immediately seized them, sending the bullets flying just above their heads and at their feet.  The report of the weapons and the whirring sound of the swiftly passing shots made them pause, and they began an harangue, ordering us out of their territories, to the south.  Seeing us, however, motionless and silent, their courage returned, and again they advanced, uttering their war cries with renewed energy.  Again the spears would have been amongst us; but I, not relishing even the idea of barbed spears being stuck through my body, determined not to permit either my own or any of my party’s lives to be lost for the sake of not discharging my firearms.  Consequently we at length succeeded in causing a rout, and driving the enemy away.  There were a great number of natives in the bushes, besides those who attacked us.  There were not many oldish men among them, only one with grey hair.  I am reminded here to mention that in none of my travels in these western wilds have I found any places of sepulture of any kind.  The graves are not consumed by the continual fires that the natives keep up in their huntings, for that would likewise be the fate of their old and deserted gunyahs, which we meet with frequently, and which are neither all nor half destroyed.  Even if the natives put no boughs or sticks upon their graves, we must see some mounds or signs of burial-places, if not of bones or skulls.  My opinion is, that these people eat their aged ones, and most probably those who die from natural causes also.

It was a cool, breezy day, and, in consequence of the hostile action of the natives, I did not depart on the south-west excursion.  I was not sorry to delay my departure, for I was in great pain all over.  I now decided to leave Mr. Tietkens and take Jimmy with me.  I cannot say I anticipate making any valuable discovery on this trip; for had there been ranges of any elevation to the westward, or beyond the ridges in question, I should in all probability have seen them from the end of this range, and should have visited them in preference to Mount Destruction.  I felt it incumbent on me to visit them, however, as from them I might obtain a view of some encouraging features beyond.

CHAPTER 2.8.  FROM 20TH FEBRUARY TO 12TH MARCH, 1874.