would return to take charge of the depot. Down to this point the
banks of the creek are very rugged and stony, but there is a
tolerable supply of grass and salt bush in the vicinity. A large
tribe of blacks came pestering us to go to their camp and have a
dance, which we declined. They were very troublesome, and nothing
but the threat to shoot them will keep them away. They are,
however, easily frightened; and, although fine-looking men,
decidedly not of a warlike disposition. They show the greatest
inclination to take whatever they can, but will run no unnecessary
risk in so doing. They seldom carry any weapon, except a shield and
a large kind of boomerang, which I believe they use for killing
rats, etc. Sometimes, but very seldom, they have a large spear;
reed spears seem to be quite unknown to them. They are undoubtedly
a finer and better-looking race of men than the blacks on the
Murray and Darling, and more peaceful; but in other respects I
believe they will not compare favourably with them, for from the
little we have seen of them, they appear to be mean-spirited and
contemptible in every respect.

Monday, 17th December, 1860.--We continued to follow down the
creek. Found its course very crooked, and the channel frequently
dry for a considerable distance, and then forming into magnificent
waterholes, abounding in water fowl of all kinds. The country on
each side is more open than on the upper part of the creek. The
soil on the plains is of a light earthy nature, supporting
abundance of salt bush and grass. Most of the plains are lightly
timbered, and the ground is finer and not cracked up as at the head
of the creek. Left Camp 67 at ten minutes to six A.M., having
breakfasted before leaving. We followed the creek along from point
to point, at first in a direction west-north-west for about twelve
miles, then about north-west. At about noon we passed the last
water, a short distance beyond which the creek runs out on a
polygonum flat [Footnote: Polygonum Cunninghami.]; but the timber
was so large and dense that it deceived us into the belief that
there was a continuation of the channel. On crossing the polygonum
ground to where we expected to find the creek we became aware of
our mistake. Not thinking it advisable to chance the existence of
water ahead, we camped at the end of a large but shallow sheet of
water in the sandy bed of the creek.

The hole was about 150 links broad, and * [Footnote: Blank in
origina