casions, almost invariably
took cognizance of the place where one of their number had been killed.
They would visit it either during the night or the next day, walk round
the spot, lift their tails, snuff the air with an occasional shake of
their horns, and sometimes, set off in a gallop.

Nov. 23.--We travelled about eight miles north-west over an equally fine
country. A high range of Pegmatite descended from the table land far into
the valley, from east to west; and an isolated peak was seen to the west
of it at the left bank of the river.

The Eugenia with scarlet fruit, and another species with rose-coloured
fruit, of most exquisite taste--particularly when the seed was abortive,
and the pericarp more developed--were abundant on the flats of the river;
and Aemena?, with smaller fruit and thin acidulous rind, grew straggling
on the ridges.

A thunder-storm from the north-east, compelled us to hasten into camp;
and we had scarcely housed our luggage, when heavy rain set in and
continued to fall during the first part of the night.

Nov. 24.--We travelled about nine miles to the north-west, to lat. 13
degrees 5 minutes 49 seconds, which a clear night enabled me to observe
by a meridian altitude of Castor. We were, according to my latitude, and
to my course, at the South Alligator River, about sixty miles from its
mouth, and about one hundred and forty miles from Port Essington.

The river gradually increased in size, and its bed became densely fringed
with Pandanus; the hollows and flats were covered with groves of drooping
tea-trees. Ridges of sandstone and conglomerate approached the river in
several places, and at their base were seen some fine reedy and rushy
lagoons, teeming with water-fowl. A flock of black Ibises rose from a
moist hollow; white and black cockatoos, were seen and heard frequently.
At day-break, I was struck with the sweet song of Rhipidura flaviventris,
GOULD.

The natives cooeed from the other side of the river, probably to
ascertain whether we were friendly or hostile; but did not show
themselves any farther. They were Unio eaters to a great extent, judging
from the heaps of shells we saw along the river; the species of Unio on
which they lived, was much smaller than that we had observed on the
Roper. John and Charley saw a native in the bed of the river, busily
employed in beating a species of bark, very probably to use its fibres to
strain honey. He did not interrupt his work, and either