of deep lagoons covered with Nymphaeas and Villarsias were on its west
side. The bergue between the river and the lagoons was covered with
bloodwood and leguminous Ironbark; and fine box flats were beyond the
lagoons.

I called this river the "Nicholson," after Dr. William Alleyne Nicholson,
of Bristol, whose generous friendship had not only enabled me to devote
my time to the study of the natural sciences, but to come out to
Australia. The longitude of the Nicholson was 138 degrees 55 minutes
(approx.)

After passing the box flats along-the river, we entered into a country
covered with thickets and scrub, rarely interrupted by small patches of
open forest, and travelled about fourteen miles north-west from the
river, when the setting sun compelled us to encamp, without having been
able to find water. Just on entering the scrub, we saw four emus walking
gravely through a thicket of the little Severn tree, picking its bitter
fruit, and throwing occasionally a wondering but distrustful glance at
our approaching train. Charley and Brown, accompanied by Spring, gave
chase to them, and killed one, which was in most excellent condition.
When we came to the camp, we secured the horses, and watched the
bullocks, as was usual on such occasions, and fried and enjoyed our fresh
meat as well as we could. To satisfy my companions I determined to
reconnoitre the country in advance by moonlight; and allowed them to
return to the lagoons of the Nicholson, should I not have returned by 10
o'clock next morning. Accordingly, I started with Charley when the moon
was high enough to give me a fair view of the country, and followed the
star Vega as it declined to the westward. As we advanced, the country
improved and became more open. It was about midnight when Charley, in
passing a patch of thick scrub, noticed a slight watercourse, which
increased rapidly into large water-holes. These were dry, and covered
with withered grass, but, on resuming our westerly course, we came in a
very short time to a creek with a succession of rocky basins. It was
unaccountable how these deep holes could have become so soon dry, as
every one of them must have been full immediately after the rainy season.
After following the creek for about two hours, Charley remarked that the
cracked mud of one of the large water-holes was moist, and, on digging
about a foot deep, a supply of water collected, abundantly sufficient for
ourselves and for our horses. The channel