timber, mostly of-box,
bloodwood, and tea-tree. The plains were broken by irregular melon-holes,
which rendered our progress slow and fatiguing. We came to Ironbark
ridges, and to the very spot where the natives had been burning the
grass, but no watercourse, nor lagoon was seen. Brown rode farther to the
southward, and observed the tracks of the natives in that direction, but
found nothing but box-tree flats. I sent Charley forward to the westward,
and followed slowly in the same direction; night overtook us, when we
were crossing a large plain, but Charley had lighted a large fire, which
guided us, and made us believe that he had found water. He was indeed at
the steep banks of the river Albert, but it was still salt. We hobbled
and tethered all the horses, and watched the bullocks. Fortunately we had
provided ourselves with some water, which allowed half a pint to every
man, so that we felt the inconvenience of a waterless camp less than
formerly. Besides, we had fresh meat, which made a great difference in
our desire for water. It was a beautiful night, and even the dew was
wanting, which had been such a hindrance to drying our meat during the
previous nights. During my watch, I seated myself on one of the
prominences of the steep banks, and watched the loud splashings of
numerous large fish which momentarily disturbed the tranquillity of the
mirror-like surface of the water. Brown had found a bar across the river,
and, on examination it proved perfectly dry during low water, and allowed
us to cross, after having brought our bullocks and horses down the steep
banks, which, however, was not effected without great difficulty. We had
most fortunately hit the very spot where such a crossing was possible.
Brown saw a great number of fine fish in the river, which he called
"Taylors." The natives had been here frequently: the grass had been
recently burnt, and fish bones indicated this as one of their habitual
camping places. We could not, however, discover where they quenched their
thirst. I sent Charley forward in a north-west direction to look for
water. When we came out into the plains which stretched along both sides
of the river as far as the eye could reach, we saw smoke very near us on
the right. I went towards it, until I found that it rose on the opposite
side of the river we had just crossed; Brown, however, detected a pool of
slightly brackish water in a deep creek at a short distance from its
junction with the