el a
view burst upon me, the nature of which the reader may learn from the
accompanying plate. A vast boundless plain lay before us, here and there
dotted over with woodland isles. Whilst taking the bearings of one of
these to guide us in the direction we were to steer, I sent a man up a
tree to have a further view; but nothing beyond an extension of the plain
was to be seen. The river could be traced to the southward by a waving
line of green trees; the latter were larger at this spot than in any
other part, and consisted of tall palms, and three kinds of gums. No
trace of the western branch could be discovered.

Time being, as I have before said, very precious, we moved off in a
South-South-East direction, at the rate of almost four miles an hour, in
spite of the long coarse grass lying on the ground and entangling our
legs.

THE PLAINS OF PROMISE.

The soil* was still a light-coloured mould of great depth, and according
to one so well qualified to judge as Sir W. Hooker, who kindly examined
some that I brought to England, is of a rich quality, confirming the
opinion I entertained of it, which suggested for this part of the
continent, the name of The Plains of Promise.

(*Footnote. My immediate visit to Port Essington afforded me an
opportunity of comparing the qualities of the two soils; and the result
was that the richest land I saw there, in spite of the aid of manure,
etc. was very inferior to that on the Plains of Promise.)

We were now once more stepping out over a terra incognita; and though no
alpine features greeted our eyes as they wandered eagerly over the vast
level, all was clothed with the charm of novelty. The feelings of delight
which are naturally aroused in those whose feet for the first time press
a new and rich country, and which I have so often before endeavoured in
vain to express, burst forth on this occasion with renewed intensity.

At the end of nearly four miles we turned off to the westward for a rise
at a short distance, concealing the line of trees that marked the course
of the river, from which we had been gradually receding. We found it to
be on the opposite side of a watercourse twenty-five feet deep. From its
summit we got a view of the country to the south-west, over the growth of
trees at the margin of the river.*

(*Footnote. See the view annexed. )

On this rise we met an emu, which, after several bad shots, got away from
the whole of us. This, in some measure was owing to