n
giving up the attempt, and ordered the boats to return, considering the
evident risks too great to justify further perseverance. We therefore
gave up the exploration of the Fitzroy, in latitude 17 degrees 44 minutes
South, longitude 124 degrees 34 minutes East, having traced its course
for 22 miles in a general South-South-West direction, and having
penetrated 90 miles from the coastline, towards the centre of Australia,
from which we were still distant 600 miles. My view from the treetop
extended about four miles beyond the furthest point we had reached on the
river, it had been our good fortune to add to the geography of Australia.
Its banks here were 20 feet high, and covered with grass; partially
broken or washed down, they disclosed to view a rich alluvial soil,
nearly two feet deep.

The trees we found most common during our expedition into this portion of
the new lands of Australia, consisted chiefly of two species of palm, and
three of the eucalypti, stunted banksia, acacia, and the singular tree
before mentioned. The birds we saw were wholly those belonging to the
land, and were chiefly black and white cockatoos, and a variety of
finches. We neither saw nor caught any fish, and the absence of waterfowl
led us to suppose they were scarce.

RETURN OF THE BOATS.

All the excitement and interest we had enjoyed in exploring the Fitzroy
thus far, now left us, and our return was comparatively tedious and
monotonous work.

March 12.

We, however, managed to reach our last night's bivouac by dark; and
towards the close of the next day we got as far down as the outer grassy
islet in the entrance of the river. The night was stormy, but the wind
and rain together kept away the mosquitoes, and enabled us to obtain a
little most welcome rest. This change in the weather was sudden. Hitherto
we had been singularly fortunate, each succeeding night, and returning
morn being, in cleanness and beauty, only a repetition of its
predecessor.

March 13.

The morning was again fine, and the bright sky was not disfigured by the
least trace of the dark clouds that had so lately overspread it. The tide
fortunately favoured our making an early start. On passing Escape Point,
so named, as the reader may recollect, in grateful remembrance of the
providential escape a small party of us experienced there, we saw an
alligator slide his unwieldy carcass from the soft mud-bank, upon which
he had been lazily reclining, into one of the