PORT ESSINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1248, 30 October 1875, Page 2

PORT ESSINGTON.

The Northern Territory Gazette of August 7th, publishes the following narrative of Mr Lewis's journey, to Port Essington :—: — We lbft the Union on the 27th of June, and the second day out one of our men got a dose of fever, and has been ill all the way. Ab the South Alligator we had a little trouble in crossing. We saw a few natives ; they appeared friendly, and must have been watching our movements for two days. The third day we got across, and were making tracks for the Eaßt Alligator. We heard the natives yelling in the distance, but as there were only about 30 of them we did not take much notice. After we had been travelling about half-an-hour, our dogs started a kangaroo. Levi and myself followed it for some I distance, and came across the niggers. They j showed no signs of vice, but I gave them to understand that we , did not want them to follow us, and they at once obeyed, and were, as we thought, going quietly away. We turned our horses' heads north, and, in about "two-two's," Levi looked round and saw them running up with their speara — one of them only about 20 yards distant, and just in the act of throwing ; but the moment we saw what thoy were up to they bolted, and thatbeioro we could get our revolvers out. We saw no more of tbat lot. The day before we got to the Eist Alligator one of our horses broke its leg, and we had to shoot it. For six or seven miles before WBTBJCciiod- tKo -oro«!iu#_o.£-the JSaSlT'Xlllgator we found the country very boggy, and could only travel two inile3 one day. The day we got to the crossing we saw about 10 natives; on the following day about 50 came. On the third day we swam our horses and crossed our things — about 70 came. Some of them lent us a hand to cross the horses We gave them tobacco, and they appeared very pleased. I then told them to go away, and they did so. We packed our horses, and tried to cross a reedy swamp, but found it too boggy, and could only get two of the strongest horses through without their packs. We then unpacked the other horses, and set to work to corduroy the swamp — about 400 yards through — and late in the evening we saw several of the niggers sneaking towards our camp, but as soon as they saw we observed them they made off. I told all the party to keep a sharp look-out that night. We saw Borne of them with toi ches on the tops of trees about half a mile from our camp, but they did nothing more. The next morning Levi, two black boys, and myself went out to finish the corduroy ; one of the boys kept watch. After working for about two hours we heard the bells of the two horses that we had got over the bog ringing. We then heard the voices of natives, when Prince, who understood their language, said, " Look out ; blackfellow want to spear urn horae." Levi, myself, and ihe two boys at once made tracks for the horses, and when I got out of the reeds I saw about 200 men armed with spears. They had formed a circle, standing at equal i distance apart, with the exception of one place, which was much broader. This was for a gangway, where our horses were driven through iuto the circle. The sweeps were dancing about with their spears shipped in a warlike manner, but the moment they saw us they were off like a shot, but only for a short distance, when they turned round and said, "Come on." lat once said, "Fire," of course not trying to hit them. Our boy Prince understanding what they said, gave us great advantage over them. About 3 o'clock that day we got our horses over the reedy swamp, for which I was very glad. We then got on to a little plain, about two miles long and about a mile across, which is almost surrounded with hills, or I should say large blocks of stone. When near the north east end of this plain we saw a lot of natives making for a gorge that we have to go through, and the rascals knew there was no other outlot, so 1 camped for tho night on the open plain, and as soon as we did they came towards us and wanted us to fight. We again let fly, and we saw no more of them that night. Oa the following morning they came again and wanted to fight, but took good card to keep at a i • spectablo distance. We Btarted for the gorge, following a sort of valley about 200 yards across. On Bearing the gorge, £ told Levi, who was ahead wi^h me k to get his Snider ready. I did the same myself. The passage through the gorge is ■ only wide enough to admit one horse at a time. Levi, myself, and a Chinaman (the cook) got through, when we heard George Bead yelling at the top of his voice. I turned and tried to get back, but found it impossible to get through the horses which were coming towards me. While I was trying to get throut;h the gorge, a shower of spears was sent at Mr Levi and the cook. Levi let fly at the most prominent man, and he dropped his spear, and I suppose ran away, for I saw no more of him. When the rest of the party came through, we found that a mob of niggers had sent a shower of spears at them, but fortunately none of us got a scratch. I was in hopes they would follow us out into the foreßt country, but they thought discretion the' better part of valour, and they very wisely retired to the river with not more in number than they started with, and we saw no more of them. I got Prince to ask them if they had seen two white men pass, and they said the only party they had seen was ours last year. Ido not think Permain and Borrodaile were ever on that river. About 12 or 14 miles out from the river, I came to an old native camp, and found parts of two skulls. They seem rather small for adults, and yet I fancy they are not so thick as those of natives. About 30 miles from tha crossing of the Alligator is a river. I named it on my last trip the Martha. Here we found another tribe of natives. We saw them last year and they were very friendly, and bo they were this time, and gave us lots of fish, and went several miles the next day and cleared the timber and stones out of our way. I got

Prince to ask these people if |Keir had seea any whites in that neighbourhood before, and they also said that they had seen me paßs last year. I then took out my memorandum', book and began to note what they said ; and when Prince asked them if they had seen two white men, they said " Yes ;" that two men with three ponies came to the place not far from the Torrock and stayed for two days and then went away again, and during the stay of the whites they say they shot an emu. They said they thought they came from Port Easington. During the time these questions were being asked they appeared in a very excited state. I told Prince at last to ask if they knew who killed the two white men, and they all ran away with the exception of one man (and he was only visiting this tribe, his country being much, nearer Port Essingfcon), who was a great friend of our boy's father. I of course noticed this man trying to change the subject;, and wanted to get the rest back, so I shut my book and put it in ' my pocket. The moment I did, they all ran back to me. Mr Levi noticed that while I was asking these questions they got their spears and were moving them along in the grass towards us, but as soon as I put my book away they left their weapons of war, and were again our friends. I believe these people know something about the missing men (Pearmain and Borrodaile). These Natives told our boy that they would not growl with us because we had too many guns. After crossing the Martha we had about 30 miles good traveling. We then came to Scott's Plains, and tried to cross them where I did last year, but found it too boggy. We had to go away east for miles. We have travelled 90 miles farther than we did on the previous trip,