ves speared several fishes which had however a muddy flavour. Among
them was one, apparently the eel-fish, caught during my first expedition
in the Namoi and upper Darling.* This circumstance was rather in favour
of the supposition that the streams unite; but still the fish seemed
somewhat different.

(*Footnote. Plotosus tandanus see Volume 1.)

SNAKES.

On this day's journey we saw several large snakes; one, large and black,
was shot while swimming in a pond in the creek; the others were of that
kind named, from the beautifully variegated skin, the carpet snake. The
natives considered the latter very fierce and dangerous, saying it never
ran away but always faced or pursued them. It had in fact the flat broad
head and narrow neck which in general characterise the most venomous
snakes, also large fangs hooked inwards, which the natives particularly
pointed out. It had also, near the tail, two articulations with something
like a toe and joint on each, such as I had not observed before in any
other kind of snake. A smaller one of the same kind attacked one of the
party, and also a native, but the former shook it from his clothes, it
then fixed its teeth in the skin of the native who detached it with
difficulty; but as no blood came from the bite he seemed to care little
about it. The native name of this place was Cuenbla.

VIEW FROM MARGA.

March 23.

I set off, accompanied by my black guide mounted, for the top of Marga,
and we reached it this time by a route in which the native displayed the
usual skill of his race. Certainly I never ascended a hill of more
perplexing features, all these heights being also of extremely difficult
access, very steep and extending in the direction of 10 and 12 degrees
East of North. They consist of the sharp edges of inclined strata of hard
purple-coloured clay-slate. I was however rewarded for the fatigues this
hill had cost me, on two different days, not with a fine view, for the
summit was too woody for that, but with a sight of some important points
determined during my late journey; and others which I had then observed
only from the Canobolas but which I was now enabled to fix by angles
observed from this station. The most important point visible besides the
Canobolas was Mount Lachlan, by means of which I determined the true
situation of Marga and the neighbouring hill Nangar; which is rather
higher but more wooded, and 2 1/2 miles distant towards the south-east.
These two fo