At dawn this morning Mr. Smith and Warrup started on the horses in search
of his boot; and I spent the day in shooting wildfowl and various kind of
game, as well as in collecting words from the natives for my vocabulary.
About 4 P.M. Mr. Smith returned with his boot and we all retired early to
rest.

December 4.

We started at sunrise and travelled about six miles in the direction of
17 degrees, and then halted for breakfast at a lake called Boongarrup.
The whole of the country we passed over this morning was sandy and bad,
being thinly clothed with Banksia trees; but immediately about the lake
there was, as usual, good land. We started immediately after breakfast as
the natives told us we had a long journey to make. Our course now lay in
the direction of 13 degrees. The country we passed over was still of the
same sandy nature; and after travelling about ten miles we made another
lake.

STRANGER TRIBE. NATIVE TOILETTE.

The natives here saw the recent signs of strange blacks and insisted upon
my coming to a halt whilst they painted themselves and made sundry
additions to their toilette. I urged my remonstrances upon this head, but
it was in vain. They said that we should soon see some very pretty girls;
that I might go on if I liked, but that they would not move until they
had completed their preparations for meeting their fair friends. I
therefore made the best of it and sat myself down whilst they continued
adorning themselves. This being done to their satisfaction, they came and
requested my opinion as to their appearance; and as I intimated my most