e
very little nourishment from it. I can hear natives talking and screaming
on the other side of the river, which at this place is a strong running
stream about thirty yards wide and apparently deep. Wind, south-east,
blowing strong.

Wednesday, 13th August, Roper River, Reedy Swamp. One of the horses
missing again this morning; he is one that generally goes off and hides
himself if he can find a place to do so. Searched all round, but could
find nothing of him or his tracks. Thinking that he might be hidden
amongst the thick bushes over the river, sent Frew to look through them
on foot, and Mr. Kekwick to an open place up the river to see if he had
got into it. Mr. Kekwick returned in a short time and reported that he
saw him lying drowned in the middle of it. I am sorry for this: he was a
good horse, in fair condition, was with me last year, and has always done
his work well, although he has caused a deal of trouble and loss of time
by so frequently concealing himself. I shall feel his loss very much, as
so many of the other horses are so poor that they are able to carry but
little of a load, and I am obliged to let four go without carrying
anything; indeed it is as much as they can do to walk the day's journey,
although the journeys are short. I shall be compelled to make them still
shorter to try and get them round again. As we were saddling, one native
man and two women made their appearance and came close to the camp. Mr.
Kekwick and I went up to them; the man was middle-aged, stout and tall,
the women were also tall, one especially. Their features were not so
coarse as those we had seen before--a very great difference between this
fellow and those I saw on the source of the Adelaide River. The man made
signs that he would like to get a fishhook by bending his forefinger and
placing it in his mouth, imitating the method of catching fish. I gave
him one with which he was much pleased: I also gave a cotton handkerchief
to each of the women; one of them no sooner got it than she held out the
other hand and called out "more, more, more;" with that request I did not
feel inclined to comply. They remained until we started. Proceeding about
three quarters of a mile down the river to where I had crossed it before,
I got all the horses over without difficulty. There is now no difference
in the strength, depth, nor velocity of the stream since we were here; it
is exactly in the same state as when we previously crossed it. Af