oky red hot sky for some appearance of rain: no dew
nourished the grass, which had become quite yellow, and the river upon
which I set my hopes was rapidly drying up. In my tent the thermometer
generally reached 100 degrees of Fahrenheit during the day. At length the
welcome sound of thunder was heard, and dark clouds cooled the atmosphere
long before sunset. These clouds at length poured a heavy shower on the
yawning earth; flakes of ice or hail accompanied it, and we enjoyed a
cool draught of iced water, where the air had just before been nearly as
warm as the blood.

In emptying the water out of the sunken boat we found a crayfish
resembling those which I had seen in the freshwater lagoons about Lake
George; the remains of this crustacean were also abundant there, at
places where water had been but very temporarily lodged.*

(Footnote. A species of Astacus, which, as far as I am aware, comes very
close to the common European crayfish.)

PACK UP THE BOATS, AND CONTINUE THE JOURNEY.

We dismantled our boats, packing up the canvas, and in the hollow of a
large tree I buried my collection of geological specimens, that we might
be loaded as lightly as possible.

December 31.

Quitting this spot at seven A.M. we continued on a bearing of 20 degrees
west of north, and passed through a scrub of Acacia pendula, in which
grew some eucalypti. At two and three-quarter miles we entered on a
spacious open plain which appeared to extend westward to the river, a
distance of about two miles. We crossed the more elevated and eastern
part of this plain. We next entered a scrub of Acacia pendula, which at
seven miles opened into a forest of apple-trees and other eucalypti. We
soon after reached Maule's creek, the passage of which, on account of its
steep banks, cost us an hour and a half. This induced me to encamp there,
influenced also by the apprehension of a want of water, at any convenient
distance beyond it. On first approaching water I had frequently an
opportunity of observing that the worst characters have the least control
over their appetites, in cases of extreme privation. It was a standing
order, which I insisted on being observed, that no man should quit the
line of route to drink without my permission. There was one,
notwithstanding, who never could, in cases of extremity, resist the
temptation of water, and who would rush to it, regardless of
consequences. Now this man continued to be an irreclaimable character,
an