the
animal had been speared. One of our wheels requiring new spokes, I
proceeded only four miles this day, towards an angle of the river, in
order to encamp in a good position and recover the missing animal alive
or dead. The death of a bullock by the hands of the natives would have
been a most unfortunate circumstance at that time, not so much because
this was one of our best working animals, as because the dread with which
these animals inspired the natives was one of our best defences. If they
once learned to face and kill them it would be difficult for us, under
present circumstances, to prevent the loss of many, and still more
serious evils might follow. As soon as we took up our ground therefore I
sent six men in search of the lost bullock; and before night they had
followed his track to within a mile and a half of our camp near the
river. Meanwhile we had found, long before their return, that he had
fortunately joined the others early in the morning.

UNIFORM CHARACTER OF THE DARLING.

The river and its vicinity presented much the same appearance here that
they did 200 miles higher up. Similar lofty banks (in this neighbourhood
60 feet in altitude) with marks of great floods traced in parallel lines
on the clayey sides; calcareous concretions, transparent water, with
aquatic plants, a slow current, with an equal volume of water, fine
gumtrees, and abundance of luxuriant grass. Slight varieties in the
feathered tribe were certainly observed; besides the crested pigeon there
was one much smaller and of handsome but sober plumage and excellent
flavour when dressed. Cockatoos with scarlet and yellow top-knot, and
about six kinds of parrots which were new to us; also some curious small
birds.

THE GRENADIER BIRD.

But of all the birds of the air the great object of Burnett's search was
one wholly scarlet, of which kind only two had been seen at different
places, far apart. Being wholly new, this bird might have been named the
Grenadier, as a companion to the Rifle-bird. The junction of even the dry
bed of a tributary was certainly a novelty; and the effect of this on the
course of the river remained to be seen. From the station beyond the
Darling I took the bearing of the furthest visible trees in the line of
that river, and on my map it exactly intersected the bend, now the
nearest to our camp. Beyond it nothing could be seen from hills or lofty
trees, and all I could know then was that the river turned nearly
w