They distinctly pronounced "kangaroo," without having heard any of us utter that sound; they also called it waroo, but whether they distinguished "kangaroo" (so called by us, and also by them,) from the smaller kind, named "wallabi," and by them "waroo," we could not form any just conclusion.
One of them, who appeared to be superior to the others, both in rank and intelligence, shewed us various roots which they used for food, and also the manner of digging for them; and, in return for our civility, in giving him and his friends a little biscuit, he procured a handful of loathsome-looking grubs from a grass tree, and offered them to us, after having himself ate two or three, to show us that they were used by them as food. His polite offer being courteously declined, he snapped them up, one by one, smacking his lips, to show us that what we had refused was esteemed, by him, as a "bonne bouche."
We continued advancing for some time, but saw no indications of a great lake, which we fancied existed somewhere near; and the natives began to lag behind, allowing us to proceed as we pleased. One of them was requested to lead the way, as directly as possible, to the water. He did so; and, after going a short distance, we came to another spring of pure water. He desired us to go through the brush, and examine it; although there was nothing to be learned from such a close scrutiny, to please him, we complied with the request, and, on turning round, the natives had disappeared!
