bstacles he met with, and
the perseverance with which he contended against and finally overcame
them. We were obliged to complete everything in a hurried and
unsatisfactory manner, for our departure had been so long delayed that we
were every day in expectation of the setting in of the heavy rains and
the consequent flooding of the ravine in which we were encamped; and in
the event of this taking place before we made a start it was impossible
to foresee for how long a period our movements might be delayed.

CHARACTER OF ITS SHORES.

On Monday the 22nd Captain Browse and Mr. Walker accompanied me in the
jolly-boat up Prince Regent's River; we went up with the flood-tide,
entering the river by its northern mouth; I had thus an opportunity of
examining the island which lies at the entrance to this great arm of the
sea, and landed upon it in several places, but found only bad sandy land,
occasionally covered with rocks; it was however well wooded and abounded
with birds. After we had passed the mouth of Rothsay Water the tide swept
us along with great rapidity, and we soon found ourselves in St. George's
Basin. I kept close along the northern shore, where we saw but little
good land after entering the basin; but there was one fertile island, of
a small conical shape, bearing nearly due east as you enter. From the
appearance of this island there can be no doubt whatever that it is of
volcanic origin; as it in all respects resembles Mount Lyell and the
other basaltic conical hills which we afterwards found in the fertile
district of Glenelg; we did not however land on it, but merely ran close
by, and then continued our route up the river.

St. George's Basin is a noble sheet of water some ten or twelve miles
across. On its southern side deep inlets run up into a low and marshy
country, leading to fertile districts, and the main object of my present
excursion was to endeavour to identify these inlets with some I had seen
on my first trip to the southward.

SCENERY AND THUNDERSTORM.

On the northern bank lofty mountains, crowned with castellated summits,
rear their sterile heads over the broad waters, and fling their giant
shadows on the bosom of the basin, forming a scene of surpassing beauty.

We had entered the more contracted channel of the river, when there came
on a tremendous squall of wind, rain, thunder, and most vivid lightning.
The pealing echoes of the thunder as they bounded from height to height
and from cli