Transcription Page 37

rumour, although I should not at
present be disposed to place the
utmost reliance on the interpreter’
as it is well known that the
Natives are in the habit of making
their answers correspond to the
Story the white man is inclined
to believe, by their repeating
some words of a question put to
them as answer thereto - This
boy is about nine years old, and
has been with the whites only nine
months. He cannot therefore be
expected to be thoroughly con-
versant with the English language.

The search for the woman,
prosecuted by the Border and Native
Police, has extended over a period
of thirty one days, embracing four
Expeditions among the Ranges
and Lakes - Yet I regret to say
her recovery from the Blacks appears
still distant - for I fear that the
keen manner in which the Tribe
was followed up - a distance
of about one Hundred miles - from
Lake Wellington to the Snowy River -
and the number of Tribes that have
been disturbed during the search,
will

Transcription Page 38

will have the effect of driving
the Natives to fastnesses almost
inaccessible to Europeans, and
I cannot therefore altogether
acquit Mr Walsh of precipitancy
It appears to me there would
have been a better chance of success
by negotiating through the old man
who accompanied Sergeant
Windridge to the Police Station,
and who seemed anxious to
be on friendly terms with the
Whites, than by hunting the
Blacks from Camp to Camp, as,
I regret to observe, has been
done. Nevertheless, as there
are now two men, two boys,
and several females, of the
wild tribes residing under the
protection of Europeans, who
prefer remaining with them,
to returning to their Tribes, an
opportunity is still open to gain
our object by fair means -
and, as it appears to me
inexpedient to send out the
Police