beads
and matches. These fish we found to be a most valuable addition to
our rations. They were of the same kind as we had found elsewhere,
but finer, being from nine to ten inches long, and two to three
inches deep, and in such good condition that they might have been
fried in their own fat. It is a remarkable fact, that these were
the first blacks who have offered us any fish since we reached
Cooper's Creek.

Friday, 21st December.--We left Camp 70 at half-past five A.M., and
tried to induce one or two of the blacks to go with us, but it was
of no use. Keeping our former course we were pulled up at three
miles by a fine lagoon, and then by the creek that flows into it;
the latter being full of water, we were obliged to trace it a mile
up before we could cross. I observed on its banks two wild plants
of the gourd or melon tribe, one much resembling a stunted
cucumber: the other, both in leaf and appearance of fruit, was very
similar to a small model of a water melon. [Footnote: Probably
Muckia micrantha.--F.M.] The latter plant I also found at Camp 68.
On tasting the pulp of the newly-found fruit, which was about the
size of a large pea, I found it to be so acrid that it was with
difficulty that I removed the taste from my mouth. At eight or nine
miles from where we crossed the creek we passed another large
lagoon, leaving it two miles on our left, and shortly afterwards we
saw one nearly as far on our right. This last we should have
availed ourselves of, but that we expected to find water in a creek
which we could see, by the timber lining its banks, flowed from the
lagoon on our left and crossed our course a few miles ahead. We
reached it at a distance of four or five miles farther, and found a
splendid waterhole at which we camped. The creek at the point flows
in a northerly direction through a large lightly timbered flat, on
which it partially runs out. The ground is, however, sound and well
clothed with grass and salsolaceous plants. Up to this point the
country through which we have passed has been of the finest
description for pastoral purposes. The grass and saltbush are
everywhere abundant, and water is plentiful with every appearance
of permanence. We met with porcupine grass, [Footnote: Triodia
pungens.--Br.] and only two sand ridges before reaching Camp 71.

FIELD BOOK 2.

CAMP 72 TO 78. LATITUDE 27 TO 25 1/2 DEGREES S.L.

Saturday, 22nd December.--At five minutes to five A.M. we left one
of the mos