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Updated: May 5, 2025
A little farther on, we came to a small creek, with good water-holes, and our guides wished us to stop; but, when I told them that we were desirous of reaching Balanda as soon as possible, and added to my promise of giving them a blanket and a tomahawk, that of a pint pot, Gnarrangan and Cabaret again volunteered, and pursuaded a third, of the name of Malarang, to join them.
Nyuall gave an amusing account of our state: "You no bread, no flour, no rice, no backi you no good! Balanda plenty bread, plenty flour, plenty rice, plenty backi! Balanda very good!" He, Gnarrangan, and Carbaret, promised to go with us; and the first intended to take his wife with him.
They promised the guide us the next morning to Balanda, after having made many inquiries about our stock of provisions and of tobacco.
Although no place could be found more favourable for feed and water, and a day's rest would have proved very beneficial to our cattle, yet our meat bags, on which we now solely depended, were so much reduced, that every day of travelling was of the greatest importance; as the natives told us that four days would bring us to the Peninsula, and two more to Balanda.
When we started, intending to follow the foot-path, our native guides remained behind; and, when I had proceeded two or three miles, my companions came up to me and stated, that the natives had left us, but that they had given them to understand that the foot-path would conduct us safely to Balanda. They had attempted to keep the large tomahawk, but had given it up when Brown asked them for it.
He pointed to the W.N.W. as the direction in which the settlement lay. We travelled about five miles over stony ironstone ridges, with extensive groves of Livistona palm covering their slopes. Here Baki Baki desired to dismount; and, telling us that it was a very good road to Balanda, took his leave and returned.
We gave them various presents, particularly leather belts, and received in return a great number of bunches of goose feathers, which the natives use to brush away the flies. They knew the white people of Victoria, and called them Balanda, which is nothing more than "Hollanders;" a name used by the Malays, from whom they received it. We had most fortunately a small collection of words, made by Mr.
Two of them promised to pilot us to Balanda and to "Rambal," which meant houses. They were very confiding, and women and children entered for the first time freely into our camp. They examined every thing, but made not the slightest attempt to rob us even of a trifle.
Bilge had promised to go with us to Balanda, but, having probably talked the matter over during the night, with his wife, he changed his intentions; but invited us in the most urgent manner, to stay a day at their camp.
They had, however, allowed me to come near enough to make them understand my incessant calls for "obeit," water, adding occasionally "Balanda; very good; no good."
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