which it is informed, expands for the
reception of the crowding fancies, called into life as by the wand of the
magician.

After yielding for a while to the influence of the scene, I was glad to
perceive the greater magnitude of the southerly branch of the river,
which offered the most direct line into the interior. I could trace each
stream for nearly three miles, but that which trended to the east was a
mere rivulet. Both flowed through a perfectly level country. Seven miles
was about as far as the eye could reach over this wearisome-looking
level. To the westward the country was open; the trees were small, and in
clumps, with green grassy patches between; but in other directions, it
was densely wooded, and on the eastern bank the trees were large. In the
branches of the one I ascended, rushes, deposited by the current, were
found 20 feet above the present level of the stream. This part of the
country is therefore sometimes visited by heavy floods; they do not,
however, seem to depend immediately upon the quantity of rain, for while
the whole face of the landscape indicated large and recent supplies, the
river appeared little, if at all, affected by them.

Having determined to follow the larger branch of the Fitzroy, we
continued on our course, and found that beyond this point the river again
widened to nearly 200 yards; but that a chain of small islets, extending
from bank to bank, nearly stopped our proceeding further. This obstacle
was, however, overcome after some difficulty; and still proceeding
upwards another mile, we came to a narrow rapid and shallow reach, which
brought us into another still and deep, about 100 yards wide, and bounded
by high grassy banks. Through this we pursued our way right merrily,
indulging in the golden anticipation that the Fitzroy would yet convey
our boats some distance into the interior of that vast and unknown
continent, with the present condition and future destiny of which our
thoughts were so often busy.

IMPEDIMENTS IN THE RIVER.

Scarcely, however, had we made good another mile, when we found ourselves
entangled among a cluster of small islets, and sunken trees, which almost
wholly choked up the channel. The river thus pent up, ran through the
small openings in this barrier with great velocity; while above, it had
again assumed the deep still character which I have before had occasion
to describe.

We had partly overcome this impediment, when Captain Wickham decided upo