cleaner and more healthy than any tribe we had
seen; and were extremely cheerful, although reserved in some respects.
As a mark of more than usual cleanliness, the women had mats of oval
shape, upon which they sat, made, apparently, of rushes. There was a
young girl among them of a most cheerful disposition. She was about
eighteen, was well made, and really pretty. This girl was married to an
elderly man who had broken his leg, which having united in a bent
shape, the limb was almost useless. I really believe the girl thought
we could cure her husband, from her importunate manner to us. I
regretted that I could do nothing for the man, but to show that I was
not inattentive to her entreaties, I gave him a pair of trousers, and
desired Fraser to put them upon him; but the poor fellow cut so awkward
an appearance in them, that his wife became quite distressed, and
Fraser was obliged speedily to disencumber him from them again.

We could not gain any satisfactory information, as to the termination
of the river, from these people. It was evident that some change was at
hand; but what it was we could not ascertain.

APPEARANCE OF SOME APPROACHING CHANGE.

On the morning of the 9th, we left our fair friend and her lame
husband, and proceeded down the river. The wind had moderated, although
it still blew fresh. We ascended every height as we went along, but
could not see any new feature in the country. Our view to the eastward
was very confined; to the westward the interior was low and dark, and
was backed in the distance by lofty ranges, parallel to which we had
been running for some days. The right bank of the valley was
beautifully undulated, but the left was bleak and bare. The valley had
a breadth of from three to four miles, and the flats were more
extensive under the former than under the latter. They were scarcely
two feet above the level of the water, and were densely covered with
reeds. As there was no mark upon the reeds to indicate the height to
which the floods rose, I cannot think that these flats are ever wholly
laid under water; if they are, it cannot be to any depth: at all events
a few small drains would effectually prevent inundation. The soil upon
the hills continued to be much mixed with sand, and the prevailing
trees were cypress and box. Among the minor shrubs and grass, many
common to the east coasts were noticed; and although the bold cliffs
had ceased, the basis of the country still continued of the