As yet however the only means I had of judging of the large number of natives inhabiting this district had been from their paths and warran grounds, but it was most probable that we should ere long fall in with some of them.
We started at dawn pursuing a south-south-east direction, and at the end of one mile rounded a bluff point; the limestone hills to the eastward gradually decreased in elevation and we ascended one of them to gain a view of the surrounding country.

I found that the summit of this range consisted of a terrace about half a mile wide, richly grassed and ornamented with clumps of mimosas; to the eastward rose a precisely similar limestone terrace, whilst to the westward lay the estuary with its verdant and extensive flats.
APPEARANCE OF NATIVES.
As we wound our way along this terrace a large party of natives suddenly appeared on the high ground to the eastward of us.

They evinced no fear whatever but advanced to within about two hundred yards, when I went forward with Kaiber to induce them to hold an interview with us; this however I could not bring about, for whenever I advanced they retreated, and when I retired they advanced; they also now began to shout out to their distant fellows, and these again cooeed to others still farther off, until the calls were lost in the distance, whilst fresh reinforcements of natives came trooping in from all directions.
INDICATIONS OF HOSTILITY.

PROGRESS OPPOSED BY NATIVES.
Our situation was growing critical for had any of the party been wounded we could not attempt to save his life by remaining with him without the almost certain danger of losing our own, whilst on the other hand to have abandoned him under such circumstances would have been impossible.

I was most anxious to get rid of these natives in peace, as they now could not be induced to come to us, being most probably fearful of our numbers.