It had very probably come up
the river during a flood, for the water-hole in which the creature had
been detained, had no connection with the tiny stream, which hardly
resisted the absorbing power of the sands. Another question was, what
could have been the cause of its death? as the water seemed well tenanted
with small fish. We supposed that it had pursued its prey into shallow
water, and had leaped on the dry land, in its efforts to regain the deep
water. Charley also found and brought me the large scales of the fish of
the Mackenzie, and the head-bones of a large guard-fish.
June 11. - We travelled about eight miles due north. The bed of the river
was very broad; and an almost uninterrupted flat, timbered with box and
apple-gum, extended along its banks. We were delighted with the most
exquisite fragrance of several species of Acacia in blossom.
June 12. - We travelled about nine miles N.N.W. to lat. 16 degrees 55
minutes. The flats were again interrupted by sandstone ranges. One large
creek, and several smaller ones joined the river.
June 13. - We accomplished nine miles to-day in a N.N.W. direction. The
country was partly rocky; the rock was a coarse conglomerate of broken
pieces of quartz, either white or coloured with oxide of iron; it greatly
resembled the rock of the Wybong hills on the upper Hunter, and was
equally worn and excavated. The flats were limited, and timbered with
apple-gum, box, and blood-wood, where the sand was mixed with a greater
share of clay; and with stringy-bark on the sandy rocky soil; also with
flooded-gum, in the densely grassed hollows along the river. The Severn
tree, the Acacia of Expedition Range, and the little bread tree, were
frequent along the banks of the river. A species of Stravadium attracted
our attention by its loose racemes of crimson coloured flowers, and of
large three or four ribbed monospermous fruit; it was a small tree, with
bright green foliage, and was the almost constant companion of the
permanent water-holes. As its foliage and the manner of its growth
resemble the mangrove, we called it the Mangrove Myrtle.
Brown shot fifteen ducks, mostly Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD.; and Charley
a bustard (Otis Australasianus), which saved two messes of our meat.
The river was joined by a large creek from the south-west, and by several
small ones; we passed a very fine lagoon, at scarcely three miles from
our last camp.
June 14. - We travelled nine miles north by west, to lat. 16 degrees 38
minutes. The box-tree flats were very extensive, and scattered over with
small groves of the Acacia of Expedition Range.
