plants I have mentioned the herbage of these sterile
regions, and of the Darling were essentially the same, only with this
difference, that here they were all more or less stunted, whereas, in the
month of October, when we passed up the Darling, they were only just
flowering, now in the month of September they had ripened their seed.

Before we commenced our journey back to the Depot, I named this "Eyre's
Creek." No doubt it is an important feature in the country where it
exists. Like the other creeks, however, it rises in plains, and either
terminates in such or falls into the Stony Desert. There can be no doubt,
however, that to any one desiring to cross the continent to the north,
Eyre's Creek would afford great facilities; and if the traveller happened
fortunately to arrive on it at a favourable moment he would have every
chance of success.

For twelve miles below the salt lagoon there is not a blade of grass
either in the bed of the creek or on the neighbouring flats, the soil of
both being a stiff cold clay. We passed this ungenial line, therefore,
and encamped near a fine pool of water, where both our own wants and
those of our horses, as far as feed and water went, were abundantly
supplied.

In going along one of the flats, before we discovered the creek, Mr.
Browne and I had chased a Dipus into a hollow log, and there secured it.
This pretty animal we put into a box; but as it appeared to eat but
little grass, we gave it some small birds, which it always devoured at
night. Our dogs had killed one on the banks of the Darling, but had so
mutilated it, that we could not preserve it. We hoped, however, to keep
this animal alive, and up to the present time there was every chance of
our doing so. It was an exceedingly pretty animal, of a light grey
colour, having a long tail, feathered at the end, insectivorous, and not
marsupial. On the 16th we turned from the creek to the south, and passed
down the long flat up which we had previously come. On the following day
we passed several of the hollows scraped by the natives, and in one of
them found a little water, that must have accumulated in it from the
drizzly showers that fell on the night of the 8th, and which might have
been heavier here than with us. On the 19th we arrived at the creek where
Flood's horse was lost, but could not make out any track to betray that
he had been to water, and as there was not enough remaining in the pond
for our use, we crossed the pl