30 minutes South, longitude 143 degrees 56
minutes. It was deep, and about 100 yards wide, the water salt, and the
tide was flowing up fast, and the banks were high. A few scattered
mangroves, and a leguminous tree, with rough cordate leaves, and large
one or two-seeded legumes, were growing on the banks. We were obliged to
turn southerly for a short distance, and found what we had fancied to be
a river to be only a small creek. We crossed it about twelve or fourteen
miles from the sea, but the water was brackish. The trees on the sandy
ground were broad-leafed Melaleucas, Grevilleas, and nondas, and by the
waterholes which we occasionally saw, were Stravadiums and drooping
Melaleucas. I also saw a species of Stravadium with racemes of white
flowers, much longer than the others, with leaves ten inches long by four
inches broad, and the trees thirty feet high. Keeping at a distance from
the sea-coast to avoid the saltwater creeks, and to obtain good grass for
our horses, we halted in the middle of the day, and were visited by a
great many natives, coming in all directions, and making a great noise.
They appeared to have been collecting nondas, as a great many of their
women were carrying large basketfuls away. After the women were out of
sight they made signs to us to go away. We got our horses together, and
endeavoured to make them friendly, but our entreaties were disregarded,
and the presents we offered them were treated with contempt. When we
found they would not allow us to come near them, we packed our horses and
prepared to start. They followed us at some distance, continually
throwing spears after us for some time; one was thrown into the thigh of
a horse, but fortunately not being barbed it was taken out, and the horse
was not much injured. We then rode after them in two or three directions
and fired at them, and they left us, and we saw no more of them.

October 11.

To-day, when halting in a place where there was no water, but good grass,
a tribe of natives made their appearance, and appeared disposed to be
friendly. We carefully collected our horses, and shortly after the
natives drew near to us. We made them presents of a few fish-hooks and
tin plates, and made signs to them that we wanted water. Several of them
ran off, and in a few minutes returned with water in a vessel (if it may
be so called) composed of pieces of bark tied together at each end, and
they continued going backwards and forwards until the