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27 those on the left swimming over to the stronger body upon the right bank. This fortunately prevented the necessity of any hostile measure on my part, and we were suffered to proceed unmo lested for the present. The whole then followed us, without any symptom of fear, but making a dreadful shouting, and beating their spears and shields together, by way of intimidation. It is but justice to my men to say, that in all this critical situation, they evinced the greatest coolness, though it was impossible for any one to witness such a scene with indifference. As I did not intend to fatigue the men by continuing to pull farther than we were in the habit of doing, we landed at our usual time on the left bank, and while the people were pitching the tents, I walked down the bank with McLeay, to treat with these desperadoes in the best way we could across the water—a measure to which my men showed great reluc tance, declaring that if during our absence the natives approached them, they would undoubtedly fire upon them. I assured them it was not my intention to go out of their sight. We took our guns with us, but determined not to use them until the last extremity, both from a reluctance to shed blood, and with a view to our future security. I held a long pantomimical dialogue with them across the water, and held out the olive branch in token of amity. They at length laid aside their spears, and a long consultation took place among them, which ended in two or three wading into the river, contrary, as it appeared, to the earnest remonstrance of the majority, who, finding that their entreaties had no effect, wept aloud, and followed them, with a determination, I am sure, of sharing their fate, whatever it might have been. As soon as they landed, McLey and I retired to a little distance from the bank and sat down, that being the usual way among the natives of the interior to invite to an interview. When they saw us act thus, they approached and sat down with us, but without looking up, from a kind of diffidence peculiar to them, and which exists even among the nearest relatives, as I have already had occasion to observe. As they gained confidence, however, they showed an excessive curiosity, and stared at us in the most earnest manner. We now led them to the camp, and I gave, as was my custom, the first approached, a tomahawk, and to the others
