Bruno, however, always evinced an unconquerable aversion for the blacks.

He was ever kind to the children, though mostly in disgrace with the men--until they knew him.
When at length we reached my own home in Cambridge Gulf, the natives gave us a welcome so warm that in some measure at least it mitigated the girls' disappointment at the absence of civilisation.
You see my people were delighted when they saw me bringing home, as they thought, two white wives; "for now," they said, "the great white chief will certainly remain among us for ever." There were no wars going on just then, and so the whole tribe gave themselves up to festivities.
The blacks were also delighted to see the girls, though of course they did not condescend to greet them, they being mere women, and therefore beneath direct notice.
I ought to mention here, that long before we reached my home we were constantly provided with escorts of natives from the various tribes we met.

These people walked along the high banks or disported themselves in the water like amphibians, greatly to the delight of the girls.

We found the banks of the Ord very thickly populated, and frequently camped at night with different parties of natives.

Among these we actually came across some I had fought against many months previously.
As we neared my home, some of our escort sent up smoke-signals to announce our approach--the old and wonderful "Morse code" of long puffs, short puffs, spiral puffs, and the rest; the variations being produced by damping down the fire or fires with green boughs.