Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/376

 resting and amusing ourselves as best we may.

10th. (Camp lvi.) Beautiful weather, but very cold in the night. Started in good time and order over land subject to frequent inundations, judging from the reeds, etc. Crossed a creek about six miles from camp. Six miles further on, three fine lagoons in succession, all of them containing plenty of water, and at the last we camped where there was excellent feed.

Here Mr. McKinlay says:—

"'I forgot to mention that yesterday, on return to camp from first striking in Leichhardt's river, I observed apparently a native firing the grass a short distance on my right. I made towards it and saw one coming steadily towards us, till spying us, retreated at full speed; as I had some fish-hooks and line, I was determined to pull him or her up. Started off and overtook what turned out to be a gin and her piccaninie, and had a load of something which in her retreat she dropped. She screamed and cooed, and set fire to the grass all around us to endeavour to get rid of us, but all to no purpose. I held out to her a fish-hook, but she would not take them to look at even, but busied herself screaming and firing the grass; upon which I got off the horse and approached her. She immediately lifted up her yam-stick in the position the men throw their spears, and prepared to defend herself, until at last she quieted down on observing the fish-hook, and advanced a step or two and took it from me, evidently knowing the use of it. I then gave her a line and another hook, and by signs explained to her that I would return in the direction the day following. She wished me to understand something, holding up four of her fingers, but what she meant I could not guess. I tried to make out from her how far the coast was, making motions as if paddling"