June 26 - The morning cold and frosty. At nine o'clock we proceeded down
the river, which inclined to the south of west for ten miles; when at
three o'clock we stopped for the evening. We passed through a country to
the full as barren as any we had yet seen. There were occasional clear
spaces, but for the greater part thick cypress bushes, acacia, and other
low shrubs, rendered it difficult for the horses to pass. On the plain,
the acacia pendula again made a very fine appearance.
The timber on the intermediate banks of the stream became scarcer and
smaller; and from the marks on the trees in the swamps, it sometimes
overflows them to the depth of two feet; but they have now apparently
been long dry, the little water remaining in the hollows or holes being
a milky white.
The abundance of white cockatoos and crows, which is constantly about
the banks of the river, is astonishing; the other smaller birds appear
to be also common to the east coast. Since we have been on the river, no
recent traces of the natives have been seen; here, as higher up the
river, they rather seem to shun it, and frequent the higher grounds in
preference:
