e miles farther, two fine water-holes fringed with
Pandanus.

Our bullocks and horses were very foot-sore, and could scarcely move over
the rocky ground.

The ridges at the head of this western creek were covered with an
arborescent Capparis, the ripe fruit of which tasted very like
strawberries; but those which were not ripe were very pungent. Another
little tree, belonging to the Hamelieae D.C., with large white fragrant
blossoms, and fruit about two inches long and one broad, with numerous
seeds nestling in a pulpy substance, was very abundant. In its ripe
state, the pulp turned black; I ate some of it, but although it proved to
be harmless, it was not good. The little bread-fruit of the upper Lynd,
no doubt belonged to the same class of plants.

I believe that all the creeks which we passed since leaving the Roper,
still belonged to that river; and that the western creek and all the
western waters we met, until reaching the South Alligator river, belonged
to the system of the latter. The division of the eastern and western
waters was, according to my reckoning, in longitude 133 degrees 35
minutes.

Nov. 7.--We followed the creek for about four or five miles, and halted
at a well-grassed spot with good water-holes, in order to kill one of our
bullocks, and allow the other two and the horses to recover. The poor
brute was fairly knocked up and incapable of going any farther, even
without a load. Some of my readers may wonder that our bullocks should
suffer so much when travelling through a country both well grassed and
well watered, and by such short stages; but they should consider the
climate in which we travelled, and the excessive heat to which we were
exposed. The rocky nature of the ground contributed no less to their
foot-weariness and exhaustion. If I could have rested two or three days
out of seven, the animals would have had time to recover, and would have
done comparatively well. But, independent of the fatigues of travelling,
the relaxing and enervating influence of the climate was as visible in
our cattle as in ourselves.

The apple-gum, a bloodwood, and the poplar-gum(?) grew round our camp;
the grasses were tender, but formed distinct tufts; Crinum was plentiful.

The night breeze set in at a quarter to 9 o'clock from north-east, or
north by east, strong, full and warm; there was a slight moisture in the
air before daybreak, which rendered our almost dry meat a little damp
again.

We were occup