l of a
dog, when I perceived a black insect nearly as large as a bird carrying
something like a grasshopper, alight, and disappear in a hole. On
digging, it suddenly arose from amidst the dust and escaped; but we found
there several large larvae; this was the most bulky insect I ever saw. A
beautiful species of stilbum frequently visited my tent; its buzz, having
two distinct notes, had a very pleasing sound. The sandy banks abounded
with a species of monedula, and others of the Bembecidae tribe. In dead
trees we found the Scutellera corallifera as described in the Appendix to
Captain King's voyage.

This day the river fell nearly an inch.

MR. WHITE ARRIVES WITH THE PARTY AND LOST MAN.

January 28.

Mr. White arrived with the carts and the depot party, including Souter,
The Doctor, who had wandered from our camp in search of water on the 21st
instant.

DETAINED BY NATIVES.

His story was that on going about six miles from the camp he lost his
way, and fell in with the blacks, who detained him one day and two
nights, but having at length effected his escape while they were asleep
early on the second morning, he had made the best of his way towards the
Gwydir, and thus reached the depot camp.

MR. WHITE CROSSES THE RIVER.

This day Mr. White crossed the river and examined the country for several
miles beyond it, in search of the pine (or callitris) which we required
for the completion of our boat, but he found none in that direction.

MARKS OF FLOODS ON TREES.

About three miles to the north of our camp he came upon a chain of large
lagoons extending in a westerly direction, and the drift marks on trees
showed that at some seasons a considerable current of water flowed there
to the westward, rising occasionally to the height of ten or twelve feet
above the surface of these lagoons. He also saw a kangaroo, a
circumstance which indicated that higher forest land was not far distant.
Thermometer at six A.M. 67 degrees. Wind North-East high. Sky clear. At
noon thermometer 87, clear sky.

We now looked with some anxiety for Mr. Finch's arrival and, in order to
preserve our provisions as long as possible, I determined to make the
abundance of fish available, by distributing fishing-hooks to the men,
and to reduce their weekly ration of pork from 3 1/2 to 2 pounds.

In fishing we were tolerably successful; but flour was the article of
which we stood most in need, and for this the country afforded no
substitute, a