strict orders that no man should go there; nor that the cattle should be
allowed to feed there; that it should, in fact, be left wholly to the
natives; that no ducks should be shot, that no men should fish there.
Nothing could be more reasonable than the proposal of this native, nor
more courageous than his appearance before our more numerous party, with
his spears and open defiance; and I was determined to take every
precaution to avoid a collision with his small tribe, and prevent, during
our probably long residence here, our people from doing them any harm.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 22°; at noon, 60°; at 4 P.M., 63°; at 9, 31°.

1ST JUNE.--The sound of a distant shot about noon, which proceeded from
the Doctor firing at a bird, gave us the first notice of the approach of
the other party. Soon after, Mr. Kennedy came in, measuring the line;
and, subsequently, the drays, and the whole of the men in good health.
The cattle had got refreshed without delaying me, and I could now again
proceed with a good supply of stores, leaving them again in depôt here.
Mr. Kennedy had examined the river, about which I had written to him, for
twelve miles up, and found that it was a separate river, coming from the
N.W., and that in all its bed no water could be found. The tribe of
Tagando had been troublesome to him, as I feared they would, after their
attempt upon us. The following account of their visit to Mr. Kennedy is
from his own notes:--"At 1 P.M., an old native, accompanied by five
younger men, approached the camp, each carrying a green bough, and when
within forty yards, they sat down in a line, the old man (probably their
chief) taking up his position about four yards in advance of the rest.
Sir Thomas Mitchell having mentioned, in a communication I received here,
that the natives had been friendly to him, I was anxious to preserve that
good feeling, but at the same time to keep them at a distance, according
to my instructions. I therefore went up to them with a green bough, and
endeavoured by signs to make them leave:--finding that of no avail, I