rriving at the junction of an important tributary from the N.
W., full of water, and seeing another also join from the east, I crossed
the main channel and encamped on the left bank, in sight of a reach of
broad blue water below the junction, of an extent which reminded us of
the Balonne itself. The valley of the river seemed bounded by continuous
ranges of high land, which looked in the back-ground like table-land.
Recently, much grass and bushes had been burnt, along the banks of the
river, by the natives; and we this day passed over a tract where the
grass was still in a blaze on both sides of us. Crows and hawks hovered
over the flames, apparently intent on depriving the devouring clement of
whatever prey more properly belonged to them. In a dry part of the bed of
the river, I met with many instances of a singular habit of the eelfish
(JEWFISH) PLOTOSUS TANDANUS.[*] I had previously observed, elsewhere, in
the aquatic weeds growing in extensive reaches, clear circular openings,
showing white parts of the bottom, over which one or two fishes
continually swam round in circles. I now found in the dry bed, that such
circles consisted of a raised edge of sand, and were filled with stones,
some as large as a man's closed fist. Yuranigh told me that this was the
nest of a pair of these fish, and that they carried the stones there, and
made it. The general bed of the river where I saw these nests, consisted
wholly of deep firm sand; and that the fish had some way of carrying or
moving stones to such spots, seemed evident, but for what purpose I could
not discover. Thermometer, at sunrise, 56 deg.; at noon, 83 deg.; at 4 P. M.,
93 deg.; at 9, 75 deg.;--with wet bulb, 59 deg..

[* See Pl. 6. fig. 2. p. 44. vol. i. of Three Expeditions.]

27TH OCTOBER.--We now travelled along the left bank of the river, and
found the country tolerably open. The ADRIANIA ACERIFOLIA grew on an
islet in the river.[*] This still pursued a remarkably straight course,
and contained abundance of water. After passing over a place where the
bush was on fire, we saw a female in the act of climbing a tree. When she
had ascended about eight feet, she remained stationary, looking at us
without any appearance of dismay. I continued to pursue a straight-
forward course, but told Yuranigh to inquire, EN PASSANT, what was the
name of the river; to which question she replied, in his own language,
"The name of that water is Maranoa:" thus confirming the name we h