We journeyed as usual over the river flats, and occasionally crossed
narrow sandy parts projecting into them. From one of these Mr. Poole was
the first to catch a glimpse of the hills for which we had been looking
out so long and anxiously. They apparently formed part of a low range,
and bore N.N.W. from him, but his view was very indistinct, and a small
cone was the only marked object he could distinguish. He observed a line
of gum-trees extending to the westward, and a solitary signal fire bore
due west from him, and threw up a dark column of smoke high into the sky
above that depressed interior. A meridian altitude placed us in latitude
32 degrees 33 minutes 0 seconds S., from which it appeared that we were
not more than eight or ten miles from Laidley's Ponds, but we halted
short of them, and received visits from a great many of the natives
during the afternoon, who came to us with their families, a circumstance
which led me to hope that we should get on very well with them. Poor
Toonda here heard of the death of some relative during his absence, and
had a great cry over it. He and the native who communicated the news sat
down opposite to one another with crossed legs, and their hands on each
other's shoulders. They then inclined their heads forward, so as to rest
on each other's breasts and wept violently. This overflow of grief,
however, did not last long, and Toonda shortly afterwards came to me for
some flour for his friend, who he said was very hungry.
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