happened that I was without a supply, for such occasions; in this case, however, all I could give him consisted of a few beads, and some biscuit which he devoured most readily.  Nor ought the perfect confidence this man manifested, in thus trusting himself alone and unarmed, among such extraordinary strangers, to be passed over unnoticed:  it commanded respect from us all.  His conduct too was in the same spirit when we parted from him, though then I admit it almost as much disappointed as astonished me:  when the boat left the shore, he turned to ascend the beach, and without once looking back, walked as unconcernedly and listlessly away, as though such things were to him everyday sights.

NATIVE HABITS.

This want of curiosity is a very singular and I believe an almost distinctive feature in the character of the native Australian.  Among all other savages of whom I have read, or among whom I have had any opportunity of judging for myself, except the inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, a perpetual and never satisfied curiosity seems to be the leading habit of their minds:  here, however, wonder is rarely expressed, curiosity seldom apparent—­yet their indifference is not stupidity, or their simplicity cunning.

BATHURST ISLAND.

We had now been sufficiently long in Australia to know the value of a stream of water, and therefore always felt the necessity of particularizing the locality of any we had the good fortune to find; from this one the extremes of Bathurst Island bore North-West and North-East.  We now pulled for the opening on the east side of Bathurst Island, but finding the flood-tide setting so strong through it from the northward, I found it would be a waste of time to contend with it, and therefore proceeded to a hill on the east end of Bathurst Island.  A large flock of white cockatoos screamed violently, as if wishing to dispute our landing, and it was not till their numbers had been thinned, of which our evening meal felt the benefit, that we could get any peace.  We reached the summit of the island by following up a ravine, which formed the only break in the cliffs that faced the South-East side of the island.  There was a thick growth of red gums and the papyrus, on its sides, and near the summit we found rocks containing iron; a vein of the same vitrified matter I have described as seen at Swan Point, separated it from the prevailing rock of the island, which was composed of sandstone and fragments of quartz.  The rocks containing metal had a strange appearance, being heaped together in the form of a whirlpool; the ground beneath appeared quite hollow.  Our view was very commanding, and fully repaid us for the scramble up; there was a clear sea to the North-East, and bearing East-South-East were some small islands, which I afterwards found to be situated near the depth of Collier Bay.  The Macleay Isles of Captain King bore North-North-East about six miles:  between the latter and a group