THE VICTORIA RIVER.

19th October.

Started at 7.0 a.m. and followed the river up to Kangaroo Point, and then
by an easterly course ascended the salt-water creek which joins the
Victoria at this point; at 4.0 p.m. we reached the termination of the
salt water, beyond which it divided into several small dry channels, in
one of which we found a small pool of fresh water, at which we encamped
at 4.15. The result of our shooting this day was one turkey, one hawk,
and thirty-nine cockatoos. The country near the creek is brown loam; but
as the hills are approached the soil is very stony, but well covered with
grass, and very thinly wooded with small eucalypti, which were nearly
destitute of foliage. To the south of the creek the country appeared to
be of somewhat better character.

THE TOM TOUGH WRECKED.

20th October.

At 7.0 a.m. steered north 160 degrees east till 10.0, over a level grassy
plain wooded with small eucalypti and melaleuca, etc., the soil varying
from a brown loam to a strong clay; altering the course to 190 degrees,
we passed some low stony ridges, and at 11.30 halted in a dry gully to
rest the horses during the heat of the day; at 3.0 p.m. again started and
steered to the south-west for half an hour, when we camped at a sandy
creek in which there was a shallow waterhole. At 4.0 I left the camp with
Mr. H. Gregory and proceeded west-south-west to the river, which we
reached at 5.45, and then followed it up for half an hour, when we
observed a tent and boat on the opposite side of the river. Having
hobbled the horses, we crossed over to the camp, which was established at
a small spring, and found Mr. Elsey and two of the men in charge. Mr.
Elsey informed me that the schooner had grounded on the bank below
Mosquito Flat, and had received considerable damage. Fourteen of the
sheep had been brought up to the camp, and the boat was expected up that
evening with another lot of sheep. I now ascertained that a bottle had
been buried near the marked trees at Kangaroo Point, and a pencil-mark
made on one of the trees indicating its position, but this mark had
escaped our observation. In the evening Messrs. Baines and Flood and one
of the men arrived at the camp in the long-boat, bringing twelve sheep,
having lost several on the passage up the river in consequence of
detention on the shoals near the Dome. The whole stock of provisions at
the camp consisting of ten pounds flour, ten pounds pork, six pounds
sugar, a