rent distances;
the farthest they reached was distant about seventeen miles, in a
water-hole near the scrub; but the bed of the river was dry. As they
rode, one on the right and the other on the left side of the river, a
Blackfellow hailed Charley and approached him, but when he saw Mr.
Roper--who crossed over upon being called--he immediately climbed a tree,
and his gin, who was far advanced in pregnancy, ascended another. As Mr.
Roper moved round the base of the tree, in order to look the Blackfellow
in the face, and to speak with him, the latter studiously avoided looking
at Mr. Roper, by shifting round and round the trunk like an iguana. At
last, however, he answered to the inquiry for water, by pointing to the
W. N. W. The woman also kept her face averted from the white man.
Proceeding farther down the river they saw natives encamped at a
water-hole, who, as soon as they became aware of the approach of the two
horsemen, withdrew with the greatest haste into the scrub; the men
driving the shrieking women and children before them. Upon Mr. Roper
galloping after them, one athletic fellow turned round and threatened to
throw his bommerang, at this sign of hostility Mr. Roper prudently
retired. Kangaroo and other nets made of some plant and not of bark,
koolimans, bommerangs, waddies, and a fine opossum cloak were found at
the camp, but were left untouched by our companions.

March 15.--Our party moved to the water-holes, where Mr. Roper had seen
the natives; the latter had removed their property, and were not
afterwards heard or seen by any of us. The general course of the river
was about south-west, and is joined by several scrub creeks; its bed is
broad and shallow, with numerous channels, separated by bergues; and the
river itself is split into several anabranches. The scrub is generally an
open Vitex; a fine drooping tea-tree lines the banks of the river;
Casuarina disappears; the flooded-gum is frequent, but of smaller size.
The Mackenzie-bean and several other papilionaceous plants, with some new
grasses, grow in it. The most interesting plant, however, is a species of
Datura, from one to two feet high, which genus has not previously been
observed in Australia. I also found species of Heliotropium of a most
fragrant odour.

Sandstone cropped out in several places, and red quartz pebbles were very
abundant in some parts of the river; the sands of its bed are so
triturated that no one would ever surmise the existe