iver trees in
view when, the rain continuing, we began to experience the effects of
moisture on the felloes of the wheels. The heat and contraction had
lately obliged us to tighten and wedge them to such a degree that now,
when the ground had become wet, the expansion of the whole broke the
tirering of the wheel. Having no forge we could only attempt the
necessary repairs with a common fire, and for this purpose I left three
men with Mr. White; and I resumed the journey with the rest of the party.
The rain continuing, the soft ground so clogged the wheels that the
draught was very distressing to the bullocks. We pursued a westerly
direction for five miles over ground thinly wooded, with patches of open
plain. Changing our course to 60 degrees west of north, we traversed a
very extensive tract of clear ground until, after crossing four miles and
a half of it, we reached a bend of the river, and at three P.M. encamped
on an open spot a quarter of a mile from it. At five o'clock the other
cart came up, having been substantially repaired, by taking off the ring,
shortening the felloes, closing them on the spokes, and then replacing
the ring again by drilling two holes through it.

January 11.

Pursuing a westerly course I found the river on my right at five miles.
At a mile further it crossed my intended line of route, and obliged me to
turn south-south-west, in which direction we intercepted the junction of
the dry river, named Kareen, which we crossed on the 8th instant. The bed
above the junction was narrow but deep, and the permanent character of
its banks gave to this channel the appearance of a considerable
tributary, which it probably may be at some seasons, although then dry.
In a section of the bank near the junction, I observed a bed of
calcareous tuff. The passage of this channel was easiest for the carts at
the spot where it joined that of the Gwydir. We travelled, after
crossing, along the north-western skirts of extensive open plains, and
thus reached, at five miles further, another line of trees, enclosing a
chain of ponds, on which we encamped, after a journey of twelve miles.

TORTUOUS COURSE OF THE GWYDIR.

January 12.

I continued the westerly course through woods until at three miles we
fell in with the river, and on turning to the left in order to avoid its
immediate banks, a large lagoon also obstructed our progress. The
tortuous course of the river was such that it was only by pursuing a
directi