tum of ferruginous sandstone, and was
fully equal to the present breadth of the tributary river. On pulling
higher up, the Murray seemed rather smaller above this junction, although
still a splendid stream. The natives on this side told Piper that the
Darling tribe from the other had danced a corrobory with them about six
weeks before, and promised to return in one moon. They also inquired
whether Piper had seen any of that tribe as they were waiting for us
whitefellows, to which Piper answered that he had NOT. I blamed him for
this reply, and asked why he did not say that we had been obliged to fire
upon and kill some of them: but he said he could not tell them that,
because they would hate him so.

COMMENCE THE JOURNEY UPWARDS, ALONG THE LEFT BANK.

June 16.

We left our encampment and commenced our travels up the left bank of the
Murray over ground which seemed much better than any we had seen on the
right bank. We crossed grassy plains bounded by sandhills on which grew
pines (callitris); and open forests of goborro (or box-tree) prevailed
very generally nearer the river. Where this tree grew we found the ground
still good for travelling upon, notwithstanding the heavy rain, in
consequence apparently of the argillaceous character of the soil; for in
the plains of red earth, which before the last fall of rain we had found
the best, the horses now sank above their fetlocks and the carts could
scarcely be dragged along. In the course of the day we passed several
broad lagoons in channels which probably were ana-branches of the river
in high floods. On the largest plain crossed by the party four emus
appeared, and one of them was killed after a fine chase by the dogs. The
river appeared to come from the east-south-east but the course was very
tortuous, and we encamped at a reach where it seemed to come from the
south.

STRANGE ANIMAL.

The most remarkable incident of this days' journey was the discovery of
an animal of which I had seen only the head among the remains found in
the caves at Wellington Valley. This animal was of the size of a young
wild rabbit and of nearly the same colour, but had a broad head
terminating in a long very slender snout, like the narrow neck of a wide
bottle; and it had no tail. The forefeet were singularly formed,
resembling those of a hog; and the marsupial opening was downwards, and
not upwards as in the kangaroo and others of that class of animals. This
quadruped was discovered on