the 10th, thunder-storms again surrounded us on all sides, and from one,
which broke over us in the night, a heavy shower fell. The night of the
11th was exceedingly cold; and the night breeze was observed to be less
regular than formerly.

We were here very much troubled with a small black ant; infesting our
provisions during the day and running over our persons, and biting us
severely at night. A large yellow hornet with two black bands over the
abdomen, was seen, humming about the water-holes. A crow was shot and
roasted, and found to be exceedingly tender, which we considered to be a
great discovery; and lost no opportunity of shooting as many as we could,
in order to lessen the consumption of our dried meat. We again enjoyed
some fine messes of Portulaca.

Feb. 12.--I went, accompanied by Mr. Roper and Charley, in a due north
direction to reconnoitre the country. The flat continued for about eight
miles, and then changed into slight undulations. Considerable tracts were
covered with the Poplar-gum; and broad belts of Bricklow descended from
the hills towards the east. In the scrub; Fusanus was observed in fruit,
and the Stenochilus and the white Vitex in blossom; from the latter the
native bee extracts a most delicious honey. A small tree, with stiff
alternate leaves scarcely an inch long, was covered with red fruit of the
form of an acorn, and about half an inch long, having a sweet pericarp
with two compressed grain-like seeds, which had the horny albumen of the
coffee, and were exceedingly bitter. The pigeons, crows, and cockatoos,
fed upon them, we also ate a great number of them; but the edible portion
of each seed was very small. It is a remarkable fact that trees, which we
had found in full blossom or in fruit in October and November, were again
observed to be in blossom and fruit in February.

We had to encamp at night without water; and although the clouds gathered
in the afternoon of a very hot day, yet no thunder-storm came to our
relief. The night breeze, which was in all probability the sea-breeze,
set in about ten minutes to six.

Feb. 13.--The morning was very cloudy. I continued my course to the
northward, and, coming to a watercourse, followed it down in the hopes of
finding water: it led us to the broad deep channel of a river, but now
entirely dry. The bed was very sandy, with reeds and an abundance of
small Casuarinas. Large flooded-gums and Casuarinas grew at intervals
along its banks, and