tle spinifex; then over open
plains, small belts of clumps of small trees; halted at nine and a half
miles; water quite sufficient for our use. I never saw such flights of
Sturt's pigeons--at times completely darkening the ground over which they
flew--a vast body of them seem to be wending their way to north-west from
south-east, but vast numbers are here on the plains notwithstanding;
natives burning on the Leichhardt in all directions, and one or two fires
towards the Albert; took Middleton with me to ascertain what kind of
country there is between camp and coast. On bearing of 355 degrees at six
miles came to and crossed a creek, plenty of water, flowing to
north-north-east; at sixteen and a half miles struck a creek with heavy
box and gum timber, and water where we struck it in small lagoons and
side creeks. Camped; natives burning ahead of us and a little east. A
great portion of the country we have come over from camp is inundated and
has now coarse grass and reeds. This creek flows here about north; south
of this it comes more to the north-north-east.

Friday, May 9.

Middleton and I still out; party in camp. Started on bearing of 40
degrees; wind strong, south; at three and a half miles struck the creek,
now a very considerable size and flowing to the eastward and a little
south; followed it for a quarter of a mile, keeping it on the left on
bearing of about 110 degrees, and crossed it at a long grassy flat; in
its bed native wurlies between where we first struck it and crossed it;
bearing of 40 degrees, long deep reach of water, banks well defined;
bearing of 40 degrees, at three-quarters of a mile, creek, recrossed same
on a bed of lava, all rent, abundance of water; at five and a half miles
further struck the Leichhardt, its bed vast sheets of stones--rocks and
small stones opposite side, lower down--the water in its bed is about or
upwards of 150 yards wide; at two miles, bearing of about 210 degrees,
struck the river at a stony and rocky fall and went westward half a mile
to avoid the bend; struck river again at three miles on same course as
above; then at four miles struck the river, water in its full width now
upwards of 250 yards, a splendid-looking place, and lined on its banks
with splendid timber of various kinds, with a variety of palms, etc.;
then to the southward of south-west for between six and eight miles, but
the rugged banks were so intricate that it was impossible to calculate
the distance c