g some miles down the banks of the river, finding that
they still retained their steep character, we turned back to a place
which Mr. Hume had observed, and at which he thought we might, with
some little trouble, cross to the opposite side. And, however
objectionable the attempt was, we found ourselves obliged to make it.
We descended, therefore, into the channel of the river, and unloaded
the animals and boat-carriage. In order to facilitate the ascent of the
right bank, some of the men were directed to cut steps up it. I was
amused to see the natives voluntarily assist them; and was surprised
when they took up bags of flour weighing 100 pounds each, and carried
them across the river. We were not long in getting the whole of the
stores over. The boat was then hoisted on the shoulders of the
strongest, and deposited on the top of the opposite bank; and ropes
being afterwards attached to the carriage, it was soon drawn up to a
place of safety. The natives worked as hard as our own people, and
that, too, with a cheerfulness for which I was altogether unprepared,
and which is certainly foreign to their natural habits. We pitched our
tents as soon as we had effected the passage of the river; after which,
the men went to bathe, and blacks and whites were mingled promiscuously
in the stream. I did not observe that the former differed in any
respect from the natives who frequent the located districts. They were
generally clean limbed and stout, and some of the young men had
pleasing intelligent countenances. They lacerate their bodies,
inflicting deep wounds to raise the flesh, and extract the front teeth
like the Bathurst tribes; and their weapons are precisely the same.
They are certainly a merry people, and sit up laughing and talking more
than half the night.

BAROMETER BROKEN.

During the removal of the stores my barometer was unfortunately broken,
and I had often, in the subsequent stages of the journey, occasion to
regret the accident. I apprehend that the corks in the instrument,
placed to steady the tube, are too distant from each other in most
cases; and indeed I fear that barometers as at present constructed,
will seldom be carried with safety in overland expeditions.

DESERTED BY THE NATIVES.

Nine only of the natives accompanied us on the morning succeeding the
day in which we crossed the river. Botheri was, however, at the head of
them; and, as we journeyed along, he informed me that he had been
promised a w