veral miles around is barren in the extreme, consisting for the most
part of undulating, stony, forest land. I have heard, however, that there
is much good pastoral country at the back. We found no fresh water during
our walk; of two wells which had been dug by the settlers, through stiff
clay, one was dry, and the other contained a puddle of brackish water,
not fit to drink. We met with few birds, but saw many tracks of emus and
kangaroos.

NATIVES SEEN AT A DISTANCE.

During our stay at Port Curtis, we had no intercourse whatever with the
natives, although anxious to establish friendly communication. With the
aid of the spyglass, we could occasionally make out a few, chiefly women,
collecting shellfish on the mudflats of the mainland, and their fires
were daily seen in every direction. The employment of firearms against
them on several occasions by the crew of the Lord Auckland (under,
apparently, justifiable circumstances however) which left the harbour,
after repairing her damages, only a few months before our arrival, had
probably taught the natives to look with distrust upon white men; and
they cautiously avoided our parties.

On Facing Island, our sportsmen found little inland to recompense them
for their trouble, except blue mountain parrots and quail; but along the
shore, curlews, oystercatchers, and godwits, were plentiful. One day I
killed a bustard (Otis australasiana) weighing 22 1/2 pounds; the
goodness of its flesh was duly appreciated by my messmates. Several small
flocks of this noblest of the Australian gamebirds were seen; but, from
their frequenting the open country, and being very wary, it is only by
stratagem or accident that they can be approached within gunshot. No land
snakes were seen, but sea snakes seem to be frequent in the harbour.

SHARKS AND SHELLS.

Sharks of enormous size appeared to be common; one day we caught two, and
while the first taken was hanging under the ship's stern, others made
repeated attacks upon it, raising their heads partially out of the water,
and tearing off long strips of the flesh before the creature was dead.
Another swam off apparently as active as ever, although a musket ball had
been fired through its head. On several occasions a party was sent to
haul the seine upon a neighbouring mudflat covered at high-water, and
generally made good captures, especially of mullet and bream
(Chrysophrys); in addition, many other more curious fishes were caught,
and sever