wooden handle, with a sharp piece of iron fixed in
at the end, like a lancet. The iron most probably had been obtained from
the Malays who annually visit the gulf for trepang. Some of their spears
were barbed.

July 12.--The meat had dried so well, that I started this morning; having
completed the operation of drying in rather more than a day. It was, of
course, necessary to spread the meat out for several days, to prevent its
becoming mildewed. This was done every day after arriving at our
camping-place.

Our killing camp was about five miles south-west from the Van Diemen; and
we travelled in the same direction about eight miles farther, through a
most beautiful country, consisting of an open forest timbered with the
box-tree, apple-gum, and white-gum; it was well grassed, and abundantly
supplied with water. We crossed a small river with a course west by
north; it had a broad sandy bed, numerous pools of water, and steep
banks: the latter were covered with Sarcocephalus and drooping tea-trees.
I called it the "Gilbert," after my unfortunate companion. Five miles
farther, we came to a fine creek, at which we encamped. Its water-holes
were surrounded by the Nelumbiums of the Mackenzie, and by a fine yellow
Ipomoea, with larger flowers than that described as growing at the
Mitchell. We gathered a considerable quantity of Nelumbium seeds, which
were very palatable, and, when roasted and pounded, made a most excellent
substitute for coffee.

July 13.--Our horses had enjoyed the green feed round the lagoons near
our killing camp, so much, that they returned to it during the night, and
caused a delay until noon, when we resumed our journey. The first part of
the stage was over fine well-watered forest land. We crossed two creeks,
with good water-holes, in one of which was a fishing weir. The country to
the south of the last creek changed to a succession of plains of various
sizes, extending mostly to the westward, and very open undulations
scattered over with rather stunted trees of Grevillea mimosoides, G.
ceratophylla, Terminalia, Bauhinia, and Balfouria? an apocynaceous tree.
And again we passed over box and apple-gum flats, which, by their rich
verdure, refreshed the eye tired with the uniform yellow colour of the
dry grass, in which the whole country was clothed. We saw the bush fires
of the natives every where around us; and many large tracts which had
been recently burnt. The sun was getting very low, and my patien