ed. About four or
five miles from the last creek,--which I shall call "Hodgson's Creek," in
honour of Pemberton Hodgson, Esq.--the river divided into two almost
equal branches, one coming from the northward, and the other from
north-west by west. I named the river from the northward the "Wilton,"
after the Rev. Mr. Wilton of Newcastle, who kindly favoured my
expedition. Its latitude was about 14 degrees 45 minutes.

About three miles above the junction of the Wilton with the Roper, we
again encamped on the steep banks of the latter, at a spot which I
thought would allow our horses and cattle to approach in safety. One
unfortunate animal, however, slipped into the water, and every effort to
get him out was made in vain. Its constant attempts to scramble up the
boggy banks only tired it, and as night advanced, we had to wait until
the tide rose again. I watched by him the whole night, and at high water
we succeeded in getting him out of the water; but he began to plunge
again, and unfortunately broke the tether which had kept his forequarters
up, and fell back into the river. At last I found a tolerable landing
place about fifty yards higher up; but, as I was swimming with him up to
it, and trying to lead him clear of the stumps of trees, he became
entangled in the tether rope by which I guided him, rolled over, and was
immediately drowned. This reduced our number of horses to nine. When the
other horses were brought to the camp, another rushed into the water, but
I swam with him at once to the good landing place, and we succeeded in
saving him.

I. started late on the 24th Oct. and travelled over a country similar to
that of our late stages. About a mile up the river, a ledge of rocks
crossed the bed, over which a considerable stream formed a small fall and
rapids; above this was a fine sheet of water, overhung with shady
tea-trees, Casuarinas, and Pandanus, which made this crossing place
extremely lovely. My grief at having lost an excellent horse which I had
ridden for the greatest part of the journey, was increased by now knowing
that one mile more travelling would have saved him to me. The northern
banks of the river were at first open: but they soon became bounded
either by isolated, or chains of, rocky hills. These hills separated the
valley of the river from an open well grassed, but extremely stony back
country; from which creeks carried the water down to the river, through
gaps and openings between the hills. T