de forward across the plain, towards the woody vale,
the sun being then near setting. A solitary emu ran towards us, from a
great distance, apparently encouraged by the mere appearance of
quadrupeds, which, although new to it, seemed to have no terrors for it.
I could not allow the men to fire at it, partly, I believe, from a sense
of shame that we should thereby appear to take unfair advantage, and
prove ourselves more brutal than the quadrupeds, whom nature had
indulgently destined to carry us on their backs. The open down we
traversed, consisted of rich black mould, in which there was fossil wood
in great abundance, presenting silicified fragments so curiously wooden
as to be only distinguishable from wood, by their detached and broken
character. Such fossils are not uncommon in Australia, on plains of rich
black earth, which is a constant concomitant. Their geological history
may be simple, and would probably be very interesting, if philosophy
could but find it out. We found, further on, a channel full of water,
with reeds about the bed of it. There had been a current in it a short
time previously, and, indeed, we had seen the remains of recent rain, in
some hollows in the Brigalow scrub. The river came from the westward, and
thus might have afforded the means of travelling in that direction, had
other directions been found impracticable. We made our fire in a hollow
near the water, not wishing either to alarm or attract the natives; and
thus we passed the night pleasantly enough, with a large fire before us.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 18 deg.; at 4 P.M., 65 deg.; at 9, 30 deg..

12TH JULY.--Returning to the camp, I sought and found, with the
assistance of Yuranigh, a more open way through the scrub for our carts,
than that by which we had penetrated to the good country. I had directed
Mr. Stephenson to examine, during my absence, the western shore of the
reedy lake of Salvator, in order to ascertain whether it had any outlet
in that direction; but he returned without having reached the base of the
remarkable rocky range to the westward; thus leaving it still uncertain,
although the direction of the river since discovered, left little reason
for supposing that any waters from the valley of the Salvator, could
escape to the westward. Thermometer, at sunrise, 11 deg.; in my tent, 15 deg.; at
noon, 67 deg. at 4 P.M., 65 deg.; at 9, 35 deg.. Height above the sea, 1107 feet.

13TH JULY.--After marking this camp XLVIII., we