of broken
muscle-shells round their banks. Scrub was, however, to be seen in the
distance, and formed the dark spot in the pleasant picture. Game became
more frequent; and last night every body had a duck. As we were pursuing
our course, Mr. Gilbert started a large kangaroo, known by the familiar
name of "old man," which took refuge in a water-hole, where it was
killed, but at the expense of two of our kangaroo dogs, which were
mortally wounded. As we were sitting at our dinner, a fine half-grown emu
walked slowly up to us, as if curious to know what business we had in its
lonely haunts; unfortunately for us, the bark of our little terrier
frightened it; and, although one of my Blackfellows shot after it, it
retired unscathed into the neighbouring thicket. Mr. Roper killed a
Rallus, which Mr. Gilbert thought to be new. The high land from which we
came, appears at present as a distant range to the south-east.
Fine-grained sandstone, with impressions of leaves, was again observed,
and a few pieces of silicified wood. A Thysanotus with fine large
blossoms now adorns the forest. The native carrot is in seed; the
Eryngium of Jimba, and a leguminous plant, prostrate with ternate leaves
and bunches of yellow flowers, were frequent; several beautiful species
of everlastings were occasionally seen, and the little orange-tree of the
Condamine grew in the scrub.

Nov. 8.--We followed the Dawson for about eight miles lower down. About
four miles from our camp, it is joined by a fine chain of ponds from the
north-east. The flats on both sides are covered by open Bastard-box
forest, of a more or less open character. In the rainy season, the whole
valley is probably covered with water; for we frequently observed the
marks of torrents rushing down from the hills; and, along the foot of the
ridges, ponds and lagoons were frequent. The heat of summer had already
burnt up a great part of the grasses; and it was only in the immediate
neighbourhood of the river that there was any appearance of verdure. The
bed of the river became drier, and changed its character considerably.
Charley stated, that he had seen a large plain extending for many miles
to the south-west, and a high mountain to the north. Several emus,
pigeons, and ducks were seen. Mr. Calvert found concretions of marl in
the creek. John Murphy caught a great number of crawfish. For the first
time since leaving the Condamine, we were visited by a thunder-storm.
Cumuli generally d