any thing
had dropped into the water, but the quick eyes and ears of our guides
immediately detected what had occasioned it, and they seldom failed to
take the poor little animal that had so vainly trusted to its own
watchfulness for security. It appeared that the natives did not, from
choice, frequent the Murray; it was evident, therefore, that they had
other and better means of subsistence away from it, and it struck me,
at the time, that the river we had just passed watered a better country
than any through which the Murray had been found to flow.

BREAK UP THE SKIFF.

We encamped rather earlier than usual upon the left bank of the river,
near a broad creek; for as the skiff had been a great drag upon us, I
determined on breaking it up, since there was no probability that we
should ever require the still, which alone remained in her. We,
consequently, burnt the former, to secure her nails and iron work, and
I set Clayton about cutting the copper of the latter into the shape of
crescents, in order to present them to the natives. Some large huts
were observed on the side of the creek, a little above the camp, the
whole of which faced the N.E. This arrangement had previously been
noticed by us, so that I was led to infer that the severest weather
comes from the opposite quarter in this part of the interior. I had not
the least idea, at the time, however, that we should, ere we reached
the termination of our journey, experience the effects of the S.W.
winds.

We must have fallen considerably during the day from the level of our
morning's position, for we passed down many reaches where the decline
of country gave an increased velocity to the current of the river.

I had feared, not only in consequence of the unceremonious manner in
which we had left them, but, because I had, in some measure, rejected
the advances of their chiefs, that none of the natives would follow us,
and I regretted the circumstance on account of my men, as well as the
trouble we should necessarily have in conciliating the next tribe. We
had not, however, been long encamped, when seven blacks joined us. I
think they would have passed on if we had not called to them. As it
was, they remained with us but for a short time. We treated them very
kindly, but they were evidently under constraint, and were, no doubt,
glad when they found we did not object to their departing.

NEW RIVER IDENTIFIED WITH THE DARLING.

I have stated, that I felt satisfied