before, but the line of bearing of this was
southward, and we were following the river which flowed in the contrary
direction. After travelling about eleven miles we encamped a mile east of
two bends of the stream, beside a patch of scrub which afforded us fuel.
The banks of the Darling near this camp were unusually low, being not
more than thirty feet high; the channel also was contracted and,
containing many dead trees, had altogether a diminished appearance.

July 5.

Penetrating the scrub in a southerly direction we soon came upon open
ground, the surface of which consisted of firm clay. The river was close
on our right until, at about six miles forward, it turned off to the
westward. We pursued our journey over plains and through scrubs, first
south-west, then west, and finally north-west, encamping at last, after a
journey of fourteen miles, where the bend of the river was still 1 1/2
miles to the north of us. We had crossed at 12 miles the dry bed of a
river which was five chains wide, and whose course was to the north. In
it were several natives' canoes, and on its banks grew large
rivergum-trees, or eucalypti. The course of this tributary (which
probably included that which we had seen previously) and the change in
the direction of the main stream, which trended now so much towards the
west, made it still possible that a range separated it from the Murray.
There was now less of the extensive plains of bare soft earth, and more
of the firm clay, with small rough gumtrees. Few bushes of the genus
acacia were now to be seen, but the minor vegetation appeared to be much
the same as on the upper parts. As great a paucity of grass also
prevailed here, except on the riverbank, and as great an abundance of the
same atriplex and cucurbitaceous plants as I had noticed elsewhere.

A RANGE DISCOVERED BY REFRACTION.

July 6.

From a tree at our camp a range was observed in the south-west, having
become visible from refraction, and this rendered it still more probable
that the river would continue its westerly course. I soon found it
necessary however to travel south-west in order to avoid it, and having
yesterday exceeded our usual distance I halted at the end of 8 1/4 miles;
the river being then distant about two miles to the north. From a bare
hill beyond this camp I could see nothing southward, except a perfectly
level horizon of low bushes, the country being nevertheless full of
hollows, in which grew trees of larg