ew the strata of
indurated clay and sandstone; and I was induced to believe that coal
might be found below them. As we were passing over the flat between the
creck and the river, we saw a native busily occupied in burning the
grass, and eagerly watching its progress: the operation attracted several
crows, ready to seize the insects and lizards which might be driven from
their hiding places by the fire. Mr. Calvert, Brown, and Charley, rode
nearly up to the man before he was aware of their approach; when he took
to his heels, and fled in the greatest consternation.

Upon reaching the river, at about eight miles from our last camp, we
found that it was joined by another river of almost the same size as the
Burdekin: it had a stream, and came from the northward, whilst the course
of the Burdekin at this place was from the west to east. From the
junction a long range trended to the north-east, and moderate ranges
bounded the valley of the river from the northward; another range
extended along the left side of the Burdekin above the junction; and
basaltic ridges, which had broken through the sandstone, approached on
its right. The cucurbitaceous plant with palmate leaves, bore a fruit of
the size of a large orange, of a fine scarlet colour when ripe; its rind
is exceedingly bitter, but the seeds are eaten by birds. Mr. Phillips
found a flesh-coloured drupaceous oblong fruit, about half an inch long,
with a very glutinous pericarp, containing a slightly compressed rough
stone: in taste it resembled the fruit of Loranthus, and the birds,
particularly the coekatoos, appeared very fond of it. We all ate a great
quantity of them, without the slightest injury. It grew on a small tree,
and had a persistent calyx.

April 20.--We travelled in a N. 80 degrees W. course to latitude 19
degrees 9 minutes 88 seconds. Rocky ranges frequently approached the
river, and deep and intricate gullies descended from them to the latter.
Our progress was consequently very difficult, and we were compelled to
ascend a very high hill to avoid its slopes towards the river, which were
too steep for us to cross. As a recompense, however, for the difficulty
of the ascent, I had the pleasure of finding some very interesting plants
on its summit; particularly a small Acacia with verticillate leaves,
which Dr. Binoe, the surgeon of H. M. S. Beagle, had found on the
north-west coast; and two other Acacias equally new to me, and which were
afterwards found to