marked the line of the
watercourses, the natural drains of the country, which had formed deep
channels through the banks. The gumtrees, near the river, were of
considerable size, though small on the plains. A light kind of mould of
great depth, without a particle of stone of any kind, was the character
of the soil.

BIRDS AND FISHES.

One of the boats tried the hooks and lines during our rambles over the
country, and from the number of catfish and a dark kind of bream that was
caught, we are enabled to state that this part of the Albert abounds with
them. Besides quails, pigeons and a beautiful finch, before seen on the
Victoria, are to be numbered among the land birds. Those of the water
consisted of large brown, and small grey ducks, spoonbills, black and
white geese, and a dark blue kind of rail, bearing a great resemblance to
the English moor-fowl, that afforded us excellent sport, as they flew out
in great numbers from the long flags that border the banks on the upper
part of Hope Reach. We did not see any black swans, neither were they
noticed by us on the north-west coast. I, myself, believe they are not to
be found to the northward of latitude 27 degrees 0 minutes South. This
part of the river is subject to a tidal influence, producing a slight
rise, which takes place about four hours after the time of high-water at
the mouth.

In our eagerness to proceed we moved off rapidly up the river, after a
hasty meal. All beyond was mystery; and it seemed that we were destined
to remain long in suspense; for the day soon closed in, leaving only the
pale light of the moon to guide us. The depth continued regular, at two
and a half fathoms, and the width two hundred yards. We hastened onwards;
the night scenery being almost more beautiful than the day. The heavens
seemed more deep, the water more glittering, the trees more graceful and
feathery; and here and there a tall palm reared its thin and spectral
form above the dense foliage through which the moonlight broke at
intervals, and fell, as it were, in showers of silver on the placid
waters.

Nearly seven miles had been traversed in the same South-West 1/2 South
direction, when our hopes of proceeding further were suddenly for a time
destroyed, by the appearance of a dense woody mass ahead. A little
further on, the moon peering through the matted foliage showed one branch
of the river turning off to the southward, whilst another, in the mouth
of which we found ourse