round to the east and south. Such a change, in a
locality like ours, was very remarkable; because, in the neighbourhood of
the sea, it was natural to expect a sea breeze, instead of which,
however, the breeze was off the land. The cause can only be attributed to
a peculiar formation of the country south and south-east of the gulf.

July 19.--We travelled seven miles and a half due south, through a
succession of stunted tea-tree thickets and tea-tree forests, in which
the little bread-tree of the Lynd was common. We passed two creeks with
rocky beds, the one with salt water, and the other fresh. The natives had
been digging here, either for shells or roots. We came to a fine river
with salt water about two hundred and fifty or three hundred yards broad,
with low banks fringed with stunted mangroves. The well beaten foot-path
and the numerous fire-places of the natives, proved how populous the
country must be. In following a foot-path, we came to some large lagoons,
but containing very little water; the natives had been digging in the dry
parts, perhaps for the roots of Nymphaea. We encamped at one of them in
lat. 17 degrees 49 minutes.

The country along the river was an open box-forest. Natives cooeed around
us; and we saw a man and his gin, and farther on two others busily
occupied in burning the grass. When Charley came to the lagoon he saw a
black boy, who immediately retreated out of sight. Two straw-necked
Ibises and seven ducks were shot. Mr. Roper had suffered much by the long
rides of the last stages; but his health was improving, notwithstanding.
The Nonda tree had disappeared north of the Van Diemen, and the emu here
feeds on the fruit of the little Severn tree, which is so excessively
bitter, as to impart its quality to the meat, and even to the gizzard and
the very marrow.

As we approached the salt water, the various species of Eucalyptus, with
the exception of the box, disappeared, and various species of tea-tree
(Melaleuca) took their place; they grew even on the sands with
incrustations of salt, and gave way only to the mangroves, which were
bathed by the brine itself.

We now commenced collecting the gum of the broad-leaved Terminalia of the
upper Lynd, and boiled it for Mr. Roper, who liked it very much.

We recognised one of the kites (Milvus isiurus), which had followed us
from our last killing camp, down to the head of the gulf.

July 20.--This morning, the bullocks had strayed farther than usu