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28 some pieces of iron hoop. Those who had crossed the river, amounted to about thirty-five in number. At sunset the majority of them left us; hut three old men remained at the fire-side all night. I observed that few of them had either lost their front teeth, or lacerated their bodies, as the more westerly tribes do. The most loathsome diseases prevailed among them. Several were disabled by leprosy, or some similar disorder, and two or three had entirely lost their sight. They are, undoubtedly, a brave and confiding people, and are by no means wanting in natural affection. In person they resemble the mountain tribes. They have the thick lips, the sunken eye, the extendid nostril, and long beards; and both smooth and curly hair are common among them. Their lower extremities appear to bear no proportion to their bust in point of muscular strength, but the facility with which they ascend trees of the largest growth, and the activity with which they move upon all occasions, together with their sin gular erect stature, argue that such appearance is entirely decep tive. The old men slept very soundly by the fire, and were the last to get up in the morning. McLeay’s extreme good humour had made a most favourable impression upon them, and I can picture him even now, joining in their wild cry. Whether it was from his entering so readily into their mirth, or from anything peculiar that struck them, the impression upon the whole of us was, that they took him to have been originally a black, in conse quence of which they gave him the name of Rundi. Certain it is, they pressed him to show his side, and asked if he had not received a wound there—evidently as if the original Rundi had met with a violent death from a spear-wound in that place. The whole tribe, amounting in number to upwards of 150, assembled to see us take our departure. Four of them accompanied us, among whom there was one remarkable for personal strength and stature.” It was the next day after this interview that our countrymen nearly fared the fate of Mungo Park in Africa. Turning an angle in the river, they saw a vast concourse of some five or six hundred natives, armed and wrathful, prepared to take vengeance upon the White strangers for this invasion of their country. A projecting sandbank afforded better approach to their victims; on this the
