bout two minutes duration each fell during the
night, but the wind which had been blowing from the north-west was so
parching that the canvas of our tents was quite dry by daybreak. The sky
was overcast with heavy clouds in the morning but by noon it became
clear. We travelled so as to make a short cut on our two days' journey of
the 16th and 17th June, and thus, at about eight miles, we made that part
of the river which we had seen formerly when nearly three miles from it,
and here we encamped. As we crossed the plain on which the last kangaroo
had been killed we saw many fresh tracks of these animals; and the dogs
took after one which they killed, as appeared by their mouths when they
returned.

ABSENCE OF KANGAROOS AND EMUS ON THE DARLING.

It may be observed that lower down on the Darling we saw neither
kangaroos nor emus, a sufficient proof of the barrenness of the adjacent
country. This day the ground somewhat resembled forest land, and we saw
one or two trees of substantial timber of the description which the
colonists term mahogany.

August 2.

We proceeded in a direction by which we reached our former route after
four miles travelling; and at a distance of five miles more we came to a
spot near the river where we encamped with the intention of avoiding next
morning the detour we made on approaching the camp, when we formerly
occupied the spot in the bend of the river.

THE OCCA TRIBE AGAIN.

As soon as our people approached the bank we met with a gin and two young
girls, upon which they called to an old man, who soon came up. He
appeared no way alarmed, and seemed to have seen us before. The fatal
tea-kettle again attracted the attention of a gin, and she pointed it out
to her grey lord and master who, pronouncing the well-known word "Occa"
(give) reminded us of the greedy tribe in whose precincts we had now
arrived, and which was in fact distinguished by the name of the Occa
boys, from their constant use of the word, and coveting everything they
saw. The old man however continued his journey down the river without
obtaining the kettle, or yet a knife which he also demanded from one of
our men whom he saw cutting tobacco.

August 3.

We continued in a northern direction till we cut upon the route to our
last camp, and we thus avoided two bad miles without lengthening the
journey to the next of our former encampments, which we reached in good
time to allow the cattle to feed.

August 4.

We set off