the blackfellows it was elicited that the white w o m a n had gone with her tribe to fish at a portion of the coast they had passed on the previous day. In the evening Trooper Connolly happened to stray a short distance from the encampment, when he found a black m a n asleep in the scrub, w h o m he secured and brought to their quarters. T h e black boy entered into conversation with him, and learned that he had seen the white w o m a n the day before, in the very place where they were then encamped. O n the following morning the party and their prisoners were again on the water, retracing a portion of their course of the former day. O n a tree close by they noticed a letter E freshly and roughly cut as if by a shell. Sergeant Windridge and one of his m e n then crossed an adjoining neck of land, and returned in about an hour with intelligence that the blacks were settled at some distance. Having travelled along the sea-side for a distance of fourteen miles, they met a tribe of about one hundred blacks proceeding in the direction of the lakes. T h e m o m e n t the latter saw the small band approaching, and knowing the relative numbers presented such a disproportion, they instantly wheeled round, resolved to give battle. A shower of spears was the act of a moment, one of which penetrated Walsh's shirt and grazed his chest. T h e m a n whose spear had been attended with such an almost fatal effect was shot in the .shoulder, but not killed. After some further skirmishing, in which other blacks were wounded, the latter retreated, leaving ten w o m e n and as m a n y children "prisoners of war." Amongst these the black boy recognized his sister, and learned that his mother was one of the persons w h o succeeded in escaping. H e also ascertained from her that the white w o m a n was at the time within one half-hour's journey of them ; that there was a considerable number of blacks accompanying her, and that those w h o had just shown battle had been despatched to reconnoitre. T h e party then resolved to persevere, but the black police positively refused to stir an inch further, as they had no provisions. T h e chase was therefore reluctantly abandoned, and at a time when its object was near its consummation. They consequently returned, bringing with them the three prisoners, and also the black boy and his sister, both of w h o m stayed for a time at the black police station, Green Hills. O n e of the prisoners died in a few days after. T h e ill-success of the expedition was supposed to be attributable to two circumstances—the want of some persons invested with supreme control in leading the party—whence originated several bickerings between Mr. Walsh and Sergeant Windridge—and the inadequate manner in which it had been equipped. THE PRIVATE EXPEDITION.
The Committee lost little time in bringing their preparations to a conclusion; the members of the party were soon selected, equipped and provisioned, as it was estimated for three months. It consisted of five white and ten black m e n , whilst the leadership was entrusted to Mr. C. J. D e Villiers, an ex-mounted police officer, and of reputed experience in bushmanship. T h e second in c o m m a n d was Mr. James W a r m a n , but why he should have been chosen was a mystery. Though he possessed a certain sea-faring knowledge, and might make a good commissariat subordinate, he was about the last m a n in Melbourne to be booked on such an undertaking, literally a "forlorn hope," which could only be fulfilled by some extraordinary stroke of good luck, or dashing act of bravery or strategy, little short of the miraculous. T h e proprietary of the " Shamrock," the favourite steamer plying between Melbourne and Sydney, remitted half the transit fare for the m e n , who with their whale-boats and other conveniences were dropped near Rabbit Island. O n arriving in Gippsland they had a kindly reception from the few settlers scattered about, some of w h o m even volunteered to accompany them. T h e first intelligence received from the party was a letter from Mr. W a r m a n (30th October, 1846) addressed from E m u Flats, to the Chairman of the Melbourne Committee. It stated that the searchers had found a supposed relic of white shipwrecked people. It was the butt of a cherry tree on which were carved the initials "H.B.," and the rude figure of a ship's cutter. T h e tree trunk was met with uprooted in some ranges, twelve miles from Tarraville, and was forwarded to Melbourne for inspection by the curious. In addition to Warman's marks, the block showed B R I T cut immediately under a carved figure of something like a sloop, and other letters nearly
