Upon their making their appearance, the chief at once proceeded to cross-examine the brothers as to their wishes, telling them that he utterly declined to have anything to do with their going west, as the tribes in that direction were very hostile and treacherous.
Mat answered this by saying that they had long wished to go to the south, as they were convinced that there were white men there, many moons distant.
The chief said that he would go nowhere were it not for the fact that the brothers held the power of life and death in their hands; would they kill a white man if he attempted to murder him, Dromoora?
To this question the brothers answered together,—
“Without the slightest hesitation.”
After much desultory talk it was agreed that both brothers might go with the chief, who should also be accompanied by his wife, if they promised to bring the two natives back again unharmed, under care of white men armed with “thunder-sticks;” and, further, that all the tribe should receive presents, which Dromoora would choose, and that no member of the tribe would be harmed.
To these terms Mat joyfully agreed, with the proviso that amongst the presents there should be only one Teegoora “stick,” and that for the chief, and that to him alone would they impart the secret.
Our foresters were so overjoyed at this decision that they wished to start off at once; but Dromoora said he should not be ready for ten days’ time, holding up the fingers of both hands to express the number; so they were forced to curb their impatience, occupying themselves during the now long days in looking through the small stock of belongings which they had managed to keep all these long years, and throwing away such as would no longer be necessary.
At length the eventful day arrived, and gathering up their weapons of wood, “old Joe,” the nuggets, and the remains of their library, the white men started with Jumper and the two natives; without much leave-taking between the travellers and the rest of the tribe, excepting that they shouted messages to each other until out of hearing.
The little band commenced working their route by the sun and coast-line by day, and the stars by night, when they happened to travel late.