started in pursuit; going by the place of attack; to see the tracks and recover the gun which L said he had taken with him, we found the gun in the river, under water, also the axe; mustered the cattle and went on, found first tracks 9 miles down the river; & went on to "Jones" Creek where we arrived at 9 p.m. and found the track of a single native (very tired) which we took to be Mullandee's, had tea and were about to turn in when a fire blazed up; but we could not discover him (or the others) till day broke; as we might threaten to shoot the wrong man in the dark; at 4 a.m. got close to fire, without being observed, & waited for day to break; when sufficiently light, called out his name to stop; having him under the muzzle of our guns at 10 yards; but to our great disappointment a stranger got up; & a woman by his side; the man of course was much surprised, & terrified, while the woman being in a perfect state of nudity, quickly arranged the very spare toilet with which Dame Nature had provided her; & went off (in haste).
FEBRUARY 25.
Had breakfast; & seeing signal fires eastward, started for the Sherlock River, with the idea of taking Mullandee; very disappointed in that; finding & catching Burges's black mare Lucy (left by Gregory & ourselves) Crossed the two branches of George River, when on going oto look for water, which we found, struck a fresh horse track, followed it for
