and sore that the slightest movement
was painful; the rainy season was however now so near that it would not
do to lose a single day of preparation. Directly after breakfast
therefore, whilst one boat went off to search for fresh water and a
convenient spot to land the stores at, I accompanied the Captain of the
vessel in another up Prince Regent's River.

EFFECT OF TIDES.

In general the openings to these rivers from the sea are very narrow,
forming gorges which terminate in extensive basins, some fifteen or
twenty miles inland; the levels of these reservoirs are subject to be
raised thirty-seven feet by every tide through their funnel-like
entrances, along which the waters consequently pour with a velocity of
which it is difficult to form any adequate idea. By such a tide were we
swept along as we entered this river by its southern mouth.

On each side of us rose lofty red sandstone cliffs; sometimes quite
precipitous, sometimes, from ancient landslips, shelving gradually down
to the water, and at these points covered with a dense tropical
vegetation.

GREEN ANTS.

At several such places we landed, but always found the ascent to the
interior so covered with large loose rocks that it would have been
impossible to have disembarked stores or stock on any. The thickness of
the vegetation made it difficult to force a way through, and whenever, in
attempting so to do, a tree was shaken, numbers of a large green sort of
ant fell from the boughs on the unhappy trespasser and, making the best
of their way to the back of his neck, gave warning by a series of most
painful bites that he was encroaching on their domain. Yet it was
sometimes ludicrous to see one of the party momentarily stamping and
roaring with pain, as he cried out to a companion to hasten and assist
him in getting rid of an enemy at once so diminutive and so troublesome.

PARRAKEETS.

We saw a great number of beautiful parakeets, as well as a remarkable
hawk of a bright cinnamon colour, with a milk-white head and neck. As
there was no apparent probability of our finding hereabouts a spot suited
to land our stock and stores at we returned in the afternoon to the
schooner, and found that the party in the other boat had been as
unsuccessful as ourselves.

DESCRIPTION OF LANDING-PLACE, AND ENCAMPMENT AT HANOVER BAY.

December 5.

The long-boat was this morning despatched to the ravine where we had
procured water on the first day of our landing to bring