36 natives left by Mr. Batman. I soon learnt that the most friendly understanding existed with the natives ; indeed I scarcely needed this information, for it was evident from the light hearted playful ness of the boy, the cheerfulness of the old man, and the vivacious loquacity of the females, who came and shook hands with me on my arrival. They were evidently anxious to inform me by signs that the families who inhabited the several huts were out hunting and that they would come home in the evening. On the return of the various families with the game which they had obtained during the day, the members severally welcomed me by a shake of the hand. The only married female of our party (Mrs. H. Batman) and her four little daughters, with whom the natives were much delighted, particularly attracted their attention. Although they brought home with them plenty of provisions consisting of various edible roots, kangaroo-rats and calkiel (the young ants in a fly state taken from decayed hollow trees) they soon began to importune us for bread and other things, not excepting the cutlery. From this I inferred at once that, to satisfy their newly acquired appetite for our food and other things which we brought with us, such as knives, toma hawks, and blankets, was a sure way of conciliating them. “In this conclusion at which I thus arrived, I was fully confirmed by Buckley, who on every occasion evinced the greatest desire to be of use, whenever he had it in his power to do so, and who gave me a general outline of the character of the different natives as they arrived, one of whom (Murradonnanuke) he pointed out as being more to be dreaded on account of his treachery, than any of the other chiefs ; as one of the main objects I had in view, besides examining the country was to make myself acquainted with the habits and dispositions of the natives, I devoted the first few days after my arrival to studying their characters. For this purpose I went out hunting with them daily, and spent the greater part of my time among them, I soon satisfied myself that by a little tact and management there was no danger to be apprehended from them, although I learnt from Buckley that in the treatment of each other they were treacherous. To command their respect, I found it was necessary to make them fully understand that it was in our power, not only to minister to their wants and comforts, but amply to avenge
