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11

cases of Hennessy's Brandy and one or two little things.

There are many blacks at Palmerston or Port Darwin consisting of two tribes [indecipherable] and the Larrakias.
Without any trouble we obtained two small black boys one is an orphan named Tom [Tim ?] Cherry the other
is known as David. They can both speak a good deal of English and are well up in the vocabulary of
others but that is not to be wondered at considering that one of them used to assist a bullock driver. In order to secure
these boys it was necessary to give about fifteen shillings to the father of one boy and then take both two
men before the Doctor as aboriginal practice in prisons is a bond had to be signed that the boys should be taken back
or sent back to Port Darwin within or at the end of twelve months. The bonds were signed by
Kilfoyle and Sid Emanuel so I suppose one boy will be retained by each of them. I believe that Durack
intends to have the one Kilfoyle signed for and the other one too if he can get him.

We left Port Darwin on Saturday fifth and as I have already said took eight days to get to Cambridge
Gulf owing to the lightness of the winds which only made their appearance for about an hour in the morning and evening
and sometimes not in our favour. Our arrival at Cambridge Gulf took place
on Sunday the 13 instant but we were only able to get in just opposite Lacrosse Island
where we lay for a day and part of another. Some of the party went ashore to see if
water and food could be got for the horses. They went in spite of my opposition as I considered it
a most foolish procedure even if water and food were found. Some of the party seem most
obstinate and pig headed and it was evidently a mistake to go on an expedition with men who have a [indecipherable] in the
fire. It is bad to do with such men especially when they are ignorant bush men as it would be with so
many mules. I have already seen several instances of this. Among these I may mention