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Friday

Started at 6 am and travelled till twenty past nine at rate of
about 3 miles an hour. We were accompanied during that time by five black fellows
of good firm strength, middle aged, one old fellow. We gave them a little damper and they
followed us to a pool or billabong where there was plenty of water, mussels and ducks. Durack
shot a large flock but did not hit it. He had second shot with like
result he is very poor marksman. He showed little temper to do about putting up a
swag upon a horse, he is not the most amiable being in the world.
Our black friends who are in full dress attire that is they had a string lholding a piece
of gum twig or leaves in front, one had feather composition to the beard. They seemed to take
great interest in the black boys and we are much amused with the idea of the boys riding horses.
The water they called Wala. They talked all the way but we could not make out the meaning.
I was longing to know could the black boys understand them. They were tolerably good looking,
powerful, clean, able to [indecipherable] and seemed in good condition only one the oldest being.
Mosquitos were not troublesome last night. Our stock of ducks being exhausted we
had only a half duck for supper and some quantity for breakfast this morning.
I hope we shall be able to get to the King Georges Sound in about 12 days. My feet [indecipherable]
are no [indecipherable] whereas I put on some powdered barks last night. Sid Emanuel has been saying
all along that the lotion and medicines we had made good and that his sores were drying up so today he
got black fellows to look at them and try them by putting on [indecipherable]. He is certainly a
very consistent and desirable sort of patient.