disappeared. The troopers afterwards found the cloak, and by their power of scent were able to say that it had been worn by a white person. The troopers gave as a reason for not attempting a rescue that he who first saw the woman was rendered almost powerless by surprise, and the second was fearful of hitting the woman if he fired at the old black. An Aboriginal boy taken from his tribe, was staying at the station of Mr. M'Millan, and had learned to speak some English. He stated that a white woman, who had escaped from shipwreck, was living with the tribe adjacent to the one he had left, and he had often played with her children. This testimony was partially corroborated by an Aboriginal girl from Gippsland, who was living with the Western Port tribe. All the correspondence in possession of the Government had been perused by a member of the Sydney Herald staff, and he inclined to the belief that the captive was the Mrs. Capel before mentioned. In the Port Phillip Herald of 1st October, 1846, was printed an interesting narrative of the excursions made by the native police in their searches, of which I append the pith:— In the latter end of March, Mr. Walsh, the second officer of the native police, with eight Aboriginal troopers, Sergeant Windridge, and three of the Border Police, accompanied by a black boy of the Gippsland tribe named Johnny Warrington, started from the police station at Eagle Point to search for the supposed white captive. Well rationed, and in two boats, they proceeded up the River Nicholson, and after rowing for four miles discovered nothing. Returning, they started again in the first week of April, proceeded up Lake King, and after some coasting came upon what they believed to be blacks in canoes fishing. Crossing the lake and camping, they remained until 3 o'clock next morning, when with muffled oars they pulled over the lake to within almost three hundred yards of a black camp. Getting ashore, they proceeded stealthily towards the "mia-mias," and having arrived within a dozen yards hid in the adjoining scrub. In a few moments the rain descended in torrents, disturbing the blacks in their "quambying." Awakening in a hurry, they commenced breaking some boughs to shelter themselves from the inclemency of the weather, and one of them actually climbed a tree which overhung the party in perdu. From what the native boy overheard of some Aboriginal chattering, it would appear that they intended to shift their quarters to the sea coast, some three miles away. Daylight at length dawned, and the searchers crept to within a yard of the camp, when some alarm was given, and the whole force scampered off through the scrub, leaving whatever little could be termed baggage behind. They were immediately pursued, a few women and children captured, but all the males escaped. The pursuers proceeded viâ Lake Victoria, through M'Lellan's Straits, for four miles, entering Lake Wellington. After traversing this neighbourhood, sterile and waterless, and spending two days in fruitless exertions, they returned to the boats for a renewal of provisions, after which they again set out on their journey, but were soon compelled to desist in consequence of the lack of water. The black police were an especial impediment through their improvidence in the consumption of rations; and as soon as the supplies were out they were eager to return. The whites were inclined to advance, feeling assured that after a little perseverance success would crown their efforts, but in consequence of the black troopers demurring, the undesirable alternative was adopted, viz., to return. Mr. Walsh, Trooper Connolly, and two black fellows resought the boat, which, after some difficulty, they brought up the following night, when they joined the land party, who had signalled to them by firing a tree. Here they passed the night, and at an early hour the following morning started in search. Two of the native police were despatched to reconnoitre the whereabouts of the blacks. The party considered it advisable not to proceed further until about three o'clock the next morning, which is the hour of soundest sleep for the Aboriginals of this country. At the appointed period the boats were manned and ran down an inlet for two miles coastwise. Here they disembarked and proceeded a short distance in the scrub when the black boy said — "he plenty smell the fire of the warrigals" (the camp of the blacks.) After advancing a mile farther the lad's anticipation was partly realized; the blacks had been there, but were gone, and the embers of their fires were still smouldering. After daybreak, a native policeman climbing a tree ascertained that the objects of their search had shifted from that to the other side of the inlet in small bark canoes. Four men accordingly remained at the former side and the others crossed in the boats, but the instant they
