n on the fish of
the river.

THEIR MODE OF FISHING.

Here fishing is left entirely to the gins, but it is performed most
effectually and in the simplest manner. A movable dam of long, twisted
dry grass through which water only can pass is pushed from one end of the
pond to the other, and all the fishes are necessarily captured. Thus
when, at the holes where a tribe had recently been, if my men began to
fish any natives who might be near would laugh most heartily at the
hopeless attempt.

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

The gins also gather the large freshwater mussel which abounds in the mud
of these holes, lifting the shell out of the mud with their toes. There
is a small cichoraceous plant with a yellow flower named tao by the
natives, which grows in the grassy places near the river, and on its root
the children chiefly subsist. As soon almost as they can walk a little
wooden shovel is put into their hands, and they learn thus early to pick
about the ground for those roots and a few others, or to dig out the
larvae of ant-hills. The gins never carry a child in arms as our females
do, but always in a skin on the back. The infant is seized by an arm and
thrown with little care over the shoulders, when it soon finds its way to
its warm berth, holding by the back of the mother's head while it slides
down into it. These women usually carry besides their children, thus
mounted, bags containing all the things which they and the men possess,
consisting of nets for the hair or for catching ducks; whetstones;
yellow, white, and red ochre; pins for dressing and drying opossum skins,
or for net-making; small boomerangs and shovels for the children's
amusement; and often many other things apparently of little use to them.

PREPARE TO QUIT THE PARTY.

On this creek the grass was excellent and today, for the first time, we
saw cattle from the colony. As our own required rest and I wished to
examine the state of the equipment, arms, ammunition, and stores previous
to my leaving the party, as I now intended soon to do, I determined on
halting here for three days previous to ascending Hervey's range. I also
wished to amend that part of our traced line by returning in advance of
the party and marking out a better direction for the ascent of the carts;
and to find out also, if possible, some water which should be at a
convenient distance for a day's journey from the present camp.

When on first advancing I overlooked this lower country the