urned to ascend the
beach, and without once looking back, walked as unconcernedly and
listlessly away, as though such things were to him everyday sights.

NATIVE HABITS.

This want of curiosity is a very singular and I believe an almost
distinctive feature in the character of the native Australian. Among all
other savages of whom I have read, or among whom I have had any
opportunity of judging for myself, except the inhabitants of Tierra del
Fuego, a perpetual and never satisfied curiosity seems to be the leading
habit of their minds: here, however, wonder is rarely expressed,
curiosity seldom apparent--yet their indifference is not stupidity, or
their simplicity cunning.

BATHURST ISLAND.

We had now been sufficiently long in Australia to know the value of a
stream of water, and therefore always felt the necessity of
particularizing the locality of any we had the good fortune to find; from
this one the extremes of Bathurst Island bore North-West and North-East.
We now pulled for the opening on the east side of Bathurst Island, but
finding the flood-tide setting so strong through it from the northward, I
found it would be a waste of time to contend with it, and therefore
proceeded to a hill on the east end of Bathurst Island. A large flock of
white cockatoos screamed violently, as if wishing to dispute our landing,
and it was not till their numbers had been thinned, of which our evening
meal felt the benefit, that we could get any peace. We reached the summit
of the island by following up a ravine, which formed the only break in
the cliffs that faced the South-East side of the island. There was a
thick growth of red gums and the papyrus, on its sides, and near the
summit we found rocks containing iron; a vein of the same vitrified
matter I have described as seen at Swan Point, separated it from the
prevailing rock of the island, which was composed of sandstone and
fragments of quartz. The rocks containing metal had a strange appearance,
being heaped together in the form of a whirlpool; the ground beneath
appeared quite hollow. Our view was very commanding, and fully repaid us
for the scramble up; there was a clear sea to the North-East, and bearing
East-South-East were some small islands, which I afterwards found to be
situated near the depth of Collier Bay. The Macleay Isles of Captain King
bore North-North-East about six miles: between the latter and a group
farther west, there was a clear wide channel, which appe