ur
camp, crossed a good-sized creek on its left bank--the river took a
sudden bend to the westward, and a large creek coming from the northward,
joined it almost at a right angle to its course. As we proceeded, we came
suddenly upon two black women hurrying out of the water, but who, on
reaching a distance in which they thought themselves safe, remained
gazing at us as we slowly and peaceably passed by. In the bed of the
river, which was here broad and sandy, a bean was gathered, bearing
racemes of pink blossoms, and spreading its long slender stem over the
ground, or twining it round shrubs and trees: its pods were from three to
five inches long, and about half an inch broad, containing from four to
six seeds, very similar to the horse-bean. This plant was afterwards
found growing in the sandy beds, or along the bergs of almost all the
broad rivers, and was always a welcome sight; for the seeds, after
roasting and pounding them, afforded us a very agreeable substitute for
coffee.

We passed some very high cliffs, which showed a fine geological section
of horizontal layers of sandstone and coal-slate. There were also some
layers of very good coal, but the greater part of those visible were of a
slaty character. Nodules of Ironstone were very frequent in the
sandstone.

After having fixed upon a place to pitch the tent, and after some
refreshment, I started with my two black companions upon a reconnoitring
excursion along the course of the river, which made several large bends,
though its general direction was to the north-east. We passed over some
very fine flats of Bastard-box, silver-leaved Ironbark, and white gum,
with a few scattered Acacia-trees, remarkable for their drooping foliage,
and mentioned under the date 22nd December. Farther on, we came again to
scrub, which uniformly covered the edge of the high land towards the
river. Here, within the scrub, on the side towards the open country we
found many deserted camps of the natives, which, from their position,
seemed to have been used for shelter from the weather, or as
hiding-places from enemies: several places had evidently been used for
corroborris, and also for fighting.

On a White-gum, which has long lanceolate green leaves, I found a species
of Loranthus, with leaves resembling those of the silver-leaved Ironbark
(Eucalyptus pulverulentus). Having reached a point down the river, in
about lat. 23 degrees 18 minutes, from which some low ranges to the N.W.