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John McDouall Stuart - Sixth Expedition - Preamble 8

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Category: John McDouall Stuart - Sixth Expedition

Written by William Hardman

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The party camped at Attack Creek on Friday, March 28th, and at Tomkinson Creek on the 31st.

On April 3rd, while crossing the Gleeson, Kekwick's horse fell back with him in ascending the bank, and broke the stock of his gun, but he himself escaped unhurt.

On Saturday, April 5th, they camped at the east end of Newcastle Water, and the following day, "at about 9 o'clock a.m. Kekwick, in endeavouring to shoot some ducks, went towards some native smoke, and was met by two natives, who ran away.

In an hour afterwards, five natives came within a hundred yards of the camp, and seemed anxious to come up to it, but were not permitted.

Two hours afterwards we were again visited by fifteen more, to some of whom a present was made of some looking-glasses and handkerchiefs; at the same time they were given to understand that they must not approach nearer to the camp, and signs were made to them to return to their own camp, which they shortly did.

In the afternoon we were again visited by nineteen of them, who approached within a hundred yards of the camp, when they all sat down and had a good stare at us, remaining a long time without showing any inclination to go.

At length some of them started the horses which were feeding near the water, and made them gallop towards the camp. This so frightened the natives that they all ran away, and we were not troubled with them for the rest of the evening."

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