morous, half pathetic,
and never did I see men more thoroughly woebegone and bedaubed with mud
than the party when we made the boats again.

Those whom I had left behind now greedily drank the water of which they
were so much in want, and, as it was necessary to complete our stock of
it here, after we had dined I despatched all hands but Mr. Smith and one
man back to the lagoon. Mr. Smith was too unwell to go again and I
remained with him. This party took their rations with them as they were
to remain by the lagoon all night in order, as they termed it, "to have a
good bouse out of water, and a good wash," and were to return to the
boats as soon after daylight as possible.

We had remarked tracks of natives on shore but, as I saw by their fires
that they were now at least eight or ten miles from us, I was under no
apprehension of an attack from them. The mosquitoes however threatened to
be very troublesome, and when I say that just about sunset we were
completely blackened from the numbers that covered us I do not in the
least exaggerate; we could not make a fire to keep them away, and I
therefore quietly resigned myself to my fate. Poor Smith, who was already
very feverish, passed a night of perfect torment, and awoke in the
morning seriously ill. We soon heard the voices of the party returning
and, having helped them and their loads of water out of the mud, we
returned down the creek.

COAST THE LAND TO THE NORTHWARD.

March 5.

On standing out there was a fresh breeze blowing from the south-east, and
when we were about half a mile from the shore the water to the northward
deepened a great deal, for although it was now nearly low tide we had
here two and a half fathoms with sandy bottom. All along the shoals we
had met with abundance of shell and other fish, and the pearl oyster was
very abundant; indeed the shellfish along these banks were more numerous
and varied than I had ever before found them. I saw but few shells which
I recognised as belonging to the southern portions of Australia, whilst
many were identical with those which occur to the north-west.

EXAMINE ANOTHER MANGROVE CREEK. CHARACTER OF THEIR SCENERY.

There was no high land whatever in sight; but one low hill, which just
appeared above the mangrove tops, bore north by east. After running
north-east for about two miles with the same depth of water we came to
another opening in the mangroves of a more promising character than
several small ones