ermed Peru; and a delicious fish, some of which run from a pound
to two pounds weight; the natives call them Cawilchi. On our
arrival at the camp they led us to a spot to camp on, and soon
afterwards brought a lot of fish, and a kind of bread which they
call nardoo. The lighting a fire with matches delights them, but
they do not care about having them. In the evening various members
of the tribe came down with lumps of nardoo and handfuls of fish,
until we were positively unable to eat any more. They also gave us
some stuff they call bedgery or pedgery; it has a highly
intoxicating effect when chewed even in small quantities. It
appears to be the dried stems and leaves of some shrub.

Wednesday, 8th May, 1861.--Left the blacks' camp at 7.30, Mr. Burke
returning to the junction, whilst I proceeded to trace down the
creek. This I found a shorter task than I had expected, for it soon
showed signs of running out, and at the same time kept considerably
to the north of west. There were several fine waterholes within
about four miles of the camp I had left, but not a drop all the way
beyond that, a distance of seven miles. Finding that the creek
turned greatly towards the north, I returned to the blacks'
encampment, and as I was about to pass they invited me to stay;--I
did so, and was even more hospitably entertained than before,
being, on this occasion, offered a share of a gunyah, and supplied
with plenty of fish and nardoo, as well as a couple of nice fat
rats--the latter found most delicious; they were baked in their
skins.

Last night was clear and calm, but unusually warm. We slept by a
fire just in front of the blacks' camp; they were very attentive in
bringing us firewood and keeping the fire up during the night.

Thursday, 9th May, 1861.--Parted from my friends, the blacks, at 7.
30, and started for camp 9.

From Camp 9.

Friday, 10th May, 1861.--Mr. Burke and King employed in jerking the
camel's flesh, whilst I went out to look for the nardoo seed for
making bread: in this I was unsuccessful, not being able to find a
single tree of it in the neighbourhood of the camp. I, however,
tried boiling the large kind of bean which the blacks call padlu;
they boil easily, and when shelled are very sweet, much resembling
in taste the French chestnut; they are to be found in large
quantities nearly everywhere.

Saturday, 11th May, 1861.--To-day Mr. Burke and King started down
the creek to the blacks' camp, determined t