Following up a short woody valley, on reaching the summit of the level 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 our over-eagerness, as the bird was at first inclined to approach.  Proceeding a little farther we observed a small lake bearing north half a mile.  Attracted by the beauty of the vernal tints on its borders we went to taste the waters.  On the same refreshing errand was a luckless beautiful slate-coloured egret, which Mr. Gore shot.  Holding our west course we made the river at the end of another mile.  Its size was reduced to a mere rivulet; being scarcely fifteen yards wide, with a depth of five feet.  Yet it had greater velocity than we had before observed, running at the rate of a mile an hour, a clear babbling brook, over which, acacias and drooping gums formed a leafy tunnel; its course was still from the south.