ght,
Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
And shook a dreadful dart.

At length, when apparently near the centre of the lake, he overtook one;
and while leading him towards the shore he ascertained that the Darling
tribe had returned to the lake only on the day before, having been ever
since their dispersion on the 27th May until this time, on the opposite
bank of the Murray. That they were then fishing in a lagoon near the
river (where in fact we afterwards saw smoke and heard their voices) and
that they had despatched three messengers to a portion of the tribe on
the upper Darling, with the news of what had befallen them, of our
progress in that direction, and requesting them to join them as soon as
possible at the lake.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE.

I perceived that the depth of water in this basin did not then in any
part exceed 8 or 10 feet, although the surface was probably 20 feet below
the level of the sandy beach, thus making 28 or 30 feet the extreme depth
when full. Now that I could examine it at leisure, I found that this fine
lake was much more extensive than I had at first supposed. The breadth
was about four miles, and I could see along it in a westerly direction at
least six miles. Part of the north-western shore seemed to be clear of
trees but well covered with grass, and to slope gently towards the water.
The whole was surrounded by a beach consisting of fine clean quartzose
sand. This was an admirable station for a numerous body like that from
the Darling. The cunning old men of that tribe seemed well aware that
there they could neither be surrounded nor surprised; the approach to the
lake from the river being also covered in both directions by deep creeks,
passable only at certain places. Their choice of such a position was
creditable to their skill in strategy, and consistent with their thorough
knowledge of localities. I could spare no time to look at the country
beyond this lake (or northward) as I wished to do. From what we learnt
however we were satisfied that the depot was safe, and this fact relieved
me from much anxiety. We had still to cross that creek or ana-branch
which apparently supplies the lake, although it was then still dry. I had
observed that such ana-branches* were deepest at the lower mouths, as if
the river floods entered first there and flowed upwards; although before
the river reached its maximum a strong current would probably set
downwards in the same channel, which would