bank, from which the
owner must have fled at our approach; it was quite new, and afforded me
shelter during our short halt. The fugitive had left some few valuables
behind him, and amongst them a piece of red ochre. From this point the
creek trended more to the north, spreading over numerous flats in times
of flood, dividing its channels into many smaller ones, but always
uniting into one at the extremity of the flats. At 21 miles the creek
changed its course to 20 degrees to the west of north, and the country
became more open and level. There were numerous traces of natives along
its banks, and the remains of small fires on either side of it as far as
we could see. It was, therefore, evident that at certain seasons of the
year they resorted to it in some numbers, and I was then led to hope for
a favourable change in the aspect of the country.

The gum-trees as we proceeded down the creek increased in size, and their
foliage was of a vivid green. The bed of the creek was of pure sand, as
well as the plains through which it ran, although there was alluvial soil
partially mixed with the sand, and they had an abundance of grass upon
them, the seed having been collected by the natives for food. At about 14
miles from the place where we stopped, the creek lost its sandy bed, and
got one of tenacious clay. We soon afterwards pulled up for the night, at
two pools of water that were still of considerable size, and on which
there were several new ducks. They must, indeed, have been large deep
ponds not many weeks before, but had now sunk several feet from their
highest level, and, however valuable to a passing traveller, were useless
in other respects, as our cattle would have drained them in three or four
days. From this place also the natives appeared to have suddenly
retreated, since there was a quantity of the Grass [Note 9. "Panicum
laevinode" of Dr. Lindley.] spread out on the sloping bank of the creek to
dry, or ripen in the sun. We could not, however, make out to what point
they had gone. The heat during the day had been terrific, in so much that
we were unable to keep our feet in the stirrups, and the horses perspired
greatly, although never put out of a walk.

It was singular that we had no moisture on our skin; the reason why,
perhaps, we were at that time much distressed by violent headaches.

At about a quarter of a mile below the ponds the creek spreads over an
immense plain, almost as large as that of Cawndilla.