From the point where we had
now arrived the upward course of the Darling for 300 miles is to the
N.E., that which I was anxious to take, was to the W.N.W. It was evident,
therefore, that until every attempt to penetrate the interior in that
direction had proved impracticable, I should not have been justified in
pushing farther up the river. My hopes of finding the Williorara a
mountain stream had been wholly disappointed, and the intelligence both
Mr. Eyre and I had received of it from the Murray natives had turned out
to be false, for instead of finding it a medium by which to gain the
hills, I now ascertained that it had not a course of more than nine or
ten miles, and that it stood directly in my way. We were as yet ignorant
what the conduct of the natives towards us would be, having seen none or
very few who could have taken part in the dispute between Sir Thomas
Mitchell and the Williorara tribe in 1836. Expecting that they might be
hostilely disposed towards us, I hesitated leaving the camp, lest any
rupture should take place between my men and the natives during my
absence; much less could I think of fortifying the party in a position
from which, in the event of an attack, they would find it difficult to
retreat. I thought it best therefore to move the camp to a more distant
situation with as little delay as possible, and send Mr.
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