the southward
in order to examine it in the direction in which I thought it most
desirable to lead the party. After passing over several well-watered
grassy flats or valleys, each bounded by open forest-hills, we crossed at
six miles from the camp a range the summit of which was covered by a low
scrub, but it did not much impede our way. Beyond this range we again
found open forest land, and we saw extensive flats still more open to our
right, in which direction all the waters seemed to fall. At length, after
travelling about twelve miles, we came upon a deep chain of ponds winding
through a flat thickly covered with anthisteria and resembling a field of
ripe grain. Smoke arose in all directions from an extensive camp of
natives but, although I cooeyed and saw them at a distance, they
continued to crouch behind trees and would not approach. I did not
disturb them further, but returned with the intention of leading the
party there the next day when I hoped to see more of these natives. An
abundance of a beautiful white or pale yellow-flowered, herbaceous plant
reminding me of the violets of Europe, to which it was nearly allied,
grew on the sides of hills.*

(*Footnote. This has been ascertained to be a new species of the genus
Pigea. P. floribunda, Lindley manuscripts; caule erecto ramoso, foliis
alternis linearibus et lineari-lanceolatis obtusis glabris, racemulis
secundis paucifloris foliis brevioribus, sepalis petalisque glandulosis
ovatis acutis, labelli lamina obovata rotundata basi bilamellata,
antheris sessilibus syngenistis apice lamina oblonga membranacea acutis,
processibus 2 corniformibus basi staminum 2 anteriorum.)

THE WIDOW RETURNS TO THE PARTY.

In the evening The Widow returned with her child on her back. She stated
that after we left our late encampment a numerous tribe arrived on the
opposite bank of the river and, seeing the fires on her side, called out
very angrily, as Piper translated her tale, "murry coola" (very angry);
inquiring who had made those fires, and that, receiving no reply (for she
was afraid and had hid herself) they danced a corrobory in a furious
style during which she and the child crept away, and had passed two
nights without fire and in the rain. Piper seemed angry at her return,
but I took particular care that she should be treated with as much
kindness as before. She was a woman of good sense and had been with us
long enough to feel secure under our protection, even from the