revived him.  Several others of the party also complained of the trying effects of the great heat; after a short rest, I therefore determined on making for the river, which we arrived at in half an hour, near a bed of dry rocks, but with the reaches on either side wide and deep, and shut in by steep banks.  By this time one of the men was seriously indisposed; all hopes, therefore, of proceeding much further upon this most interesting expedition I was compelled, though very reluctantly, to abandon.  This was still the more a subject of deep regret, because the present width, and the south-easterly direction which the river now appeared to take, gave me just hopes that great progress might be made in the desired direction in the course of another day:  while I felt satisfied that we were abandoning the course of a river whose undiminished magnitude made each mile’s journey along its banks of increased interest, and which I felt convinced would, if followed out, conduct us far towards the heart of this terra incognita.

The weather continued calm and close; temperature at noon, in the shade 110 degrees.  I noticed a difference in the bed of the river at the place where we prepared dinner:  hitherto the dry spots, which from time to time we passed over, or halted upon, were strewn about with large boulders; here, however, we were encamping near a very remarkable rocky ledge, dipping to the south-east, and of the same character as the rocks on the sea coast, when seen at low-water.

Approach of natives.

Scarcely had we disposed of our invalid as comfortably as circumstances would admit, under a bank overshadowed by acacias and gumtrees, when we heard the shrill voices of an evidently large body of natives, concealed by the foliage on the opposite bank of the river, which was just here quite dry, and not more than eighty yards across.

Preparations for defence.

As I had no means of knowing either their number or intentions, it was necessary to make the best preparations that time and place would allow for defence, should it unhappily become necessary:  a contingency which, in the debilitated condition of all the party, now too deprived altogether of the aid of one of its members, I could not contemplate without some anxiety.  I directed the men to occupy such situations in the long grass as would give the most deceptive appearance to our numbers, and stationed Mr. Bynoe, Mr. Forsyth, and myself where, if required, we could act most effectually.  These preparations were hardly complete, when two natives, accompanied by a large cream-coloured dog that howled mournfully, came down suddenly, shouting “Ho! ho!” upon the opposite bank, as though more clearly to reconnoitre our position.  They were fine looking men, with bushy hair and spare limbs, quite naked, and apparently unarmed—­a usual indication among the aborigines of Australia that their intentions are peaceful.  They amused themselves