t spoken in the settled districts, although some few
words are the same. They encamped a short distance from us, and in the
night stole our frying-pan, to dig a well, but returned it next morning
before the theft was discovered.

THE IRWIN RIVER.

1st November.

At 7.10 a.m. resumed our course south-east, along the eastern side of the
grassy plain. The scrubby hills gradually approached on each side; at
9.30 the good land terminated, the estimate being 2,000 acres on the
south bank of the Greenough River. The country then became sandy,
producing little besides scrub and a few banksia trees. At 10.0 passed
about one mile west of Mount Hill; passed a small pool of water in a
watercourse trending south-west. At 12.50 p.m. altered the course to 170
degrees magnetic; at 3.0 entered a thick forest of York gum; at 3.25
changed the course to 130 degrees magnetic and entered a grassy flat
extending to the Irwin River, which we reached at 3.55, and following it
upwards till 4.15, bivouacked on the left bank in a large flat. Shortly
before reaching the river a large party of natives came up with us, after
tracking the horses for some distance. Seventy or eighty men came to the
bivouac, and, with the exception of one man who shipped a spear, making a
demonstration of throwing it at us, they evinced a desire for the more
peaceable amusement of eating damper and fat bacon. A few of the natives
spoke a little English, having been for a short time in the settled
districts. At sunset they retired to the other side of the river, and all
appeared quiet when my watch commenced at 10.30; but at midnight I
detected a native crawling up amongst the thick grass about ten yards
from the back of the tents. He lay quiet till I almost turned him out of
his hiding-place with the muzzle of my gun, when he took to his heels,
but I did not consider it prudent either to fire at or capture him.

2nd November.

The natives being too numerous to allow any of the party leaving the camp
to examine the country around without incurring greater risk than seemed
prudent, we left our bivouac at 7.45 a.m. and steered north 170 degrees
east magnetic over sandy hills, covered with short scrub. After two hours
the country became nearly level, with small patches of swampy ground,
which would be very wet in the rainy season, but was at present quite
dry; the rising grounds were sand, covered with short scrub with a few
scattered banksia trees. At 5.40 p.m. struck