had the courage to swallow it. The character of the spiders
was very strange; and it seemed as if we had arrived in a new world of
entomology. They resembled an enamelled decoration, the body consisting
of a hard shelly coat of dark blue colour, symmetrically spotted with
white, and it was nearly circular, being armed with six sharp projecting
points.* The latitude of this camp was 29 degrees 28 minutes 34 seconds
South.

(*Footnote. An undescribed species of Cancriform epeira, belonging to the
subgenus Gasteracantha of M. Hahn.)

REDUCED STATE OF THE RIVER.

The general course of the Gwydir appeared to be nearly westward, between
the first and last points thus ascertained by us; and this direction
being also in continuation of the river seen so much further to the
eastward by Mr. Cunningham we could entertain no doubt as to the
identity. The channels we had crossed before we came to the running
stream at our present encampment could only be accounted for as separate
ducts for the swollen waters of the river when no longer confined by any
immediate high ground to one great channel; and hence the attenuated
state (as we inferred) of the actual bed of the stream. This I resolved
to trace through one day's journey, and then to cross, if we found no
change, and so proceed northward.

January 19.

We travelled as the dense line of river-wood permitted for eleven miles;
the ground outside this belt being in general open and firmer than that
nearer the river, which was distinguished by certain inequalities, and
was besides rather thickly wooded. We found that on a bearing of 20
degrees south of west we just cleared the southern bends of the stream.
We heard the natives in the woods during our journey but none approached
the party. In order to encamp we directed our course northward, and
making the riverbank after travelling one mile, we encamped upon it. I
then sent Mr. White due north in order to ascertain if any other channel
existed, but he found, on the contrary, that the ground rose gradually
beyond the river, which convinced me that this, in which the water
flowed, was the most northerly channel. The latitude was 29 degrees 31
minutes 49 seconds South.

January 20.

I gave the party a day's repose that I might put my map together and duly
consider the general course of the waters as they appeared thereon, and
also the actual character of the stream on which we were encamped. The
banks consisted of soft earth, ha