of the creek, near our camp, there was a chain of
conical hills.

As we were travelling along, a native suddenly emerged from the banks of
the creek, and, crossing our line of march, walked down to a Nymphaea
pond, where he seemed inclined to hide himself until we had passed. I
cooeed to him; at which he looked up, but seemed to be at a loss what to
do or say. I then dismounted, and made signs to show my friendly
disposition: then he began to call out, but, seeing that I motioned away
my companions with the horses and bullocks, as I moved towards him, and
that I held out presents to him, he became more assured of his safety,
and allowed me to come near and put some brass buttons into his hand. I
understood him to ask whether we were following the creek, and I answered
"Brrrrrr aroma aroma!!" pointing at the same time with a long sweep to
the northward. As, however, we were equally unintelligible to each other,
and he did not appear to be very communicative, I mounted my
cream-coloured horse, and left him staring at me in silence until I was
out of sight. We encamped at noon, under two wide-spreading Sarcocephalus
trees, whose grateful shade offered us a shelter from the scorching sun.
But, as the sun got low, the shades of the oval crown of the trees drew
rapidly off, and we had to lean against the shady side of the butt to
obtain relief from the heat, which had so enervating an effect upon us
that the slightest exertion was painful. After sunset, however, in the
comparative coolness of the evening, our animal spirits revived; and it
was only during that part of the day, and in the early morning before
sunrise, that I felt inclined to attend to any business that required
much bodily exertion. It was a great enjoyment indeed to lie devoid of
any covering on our couch, and watch the fading tints of sunset. The
usual, and therefore expected, night breeze did not set in; but, about
half-past 10 o'clock P.M., there was a slight stir in the atmosphere,
accompanied with a sense of moisture, as if a distant thunder-storm had
occurred, and interrupted the usual progress of the breeze.

Nov. 4.--We travelled about seven miles, north-west by north, to lat. 13
degrees 56 minutes 46 seconds. After following the creek about a mile, it
turned so far to the westward that I left it, and with much difficulty
ascended the ranges to the northward: from their highest elevation, I saw
that a high range, trending from south-east to north-west