to a distance of seven or eight miles,
when it appeared to turn south under a small sand-hill, upon which the
rays of the sun fell, as it was sinking behind us.

CURIOUS EFFECT OF REFRACTION.

There was an innumerable flock of wild-fowl arranged in rows along the
sides of the pools left by the tide, and we were again amused by the
singular effect of the refraction upon them, and the grotesque and
distorted forms they exhibited. Swans, pelicans, ducks, and geese, were
mingled together, and, according to their distance from us, presented
different appearances. Some were exceedingly tall and thin, others were
unnaturally broad. Some appeared reversed, or as if they were standing
on their heads, and the slightest motion, particularly the flapping of
their wings, produced a most ridiculous effect. No doubt, the situation
and the state of the atmosphere were favourable to the effect I have
described. The day had been fine, the evening was beautiful,--but it
was the rarefaction of the air immediately playing on the ground, and
not the haze at sunset that caused what I have noticed. It is distinct
from mirage, although it is difficult to point out the difference. The
one, however, distorts, the other conceals objects, and gives them a
false distance. The one is clear, the other is cloudy. The one raises
objects above their true position, the other does not. The one plays
about, the other is steady; but I cannot hope to give a proper idea
either of mirage or refraction so satisfactorily as I could wish. Many
travellers have dwelt upon their effects, particularly upon those of
the former, but few have attempted to account for them.

Our situation was one of peculiar excitement and interest. To our right
the thunder of the heavy surf, that almost shook the ground beneath us,
broke with increasing roar upon our ears; to our left the voice of the
natives echoed through the brush, and the size of their fires at the
extremity of the channel, seemed to indicate the alarm our appearance
had occasioned.

CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE PARTY.

While the men were enjoying their cockles, a large kettle of which they
had boiled, M'Leay and I were anxiously employed in examining the state
of our provisions, and in ascertaining what still remained. Flour and
tea were the only articles we had left, so that the task was not a
difficult one. It appeared that we had not sufficient of either to last
us to Pondebadgery, at which place we expected t