July 24.

Early in the morning we observed a smoke in the woods near the river, at a distance of about two miles.  At length I saw through my glass a native with a skin cloak advancing over the naked plains towards us, but he soon disappeared, then I perceived two others coming rapidly forward; at length I heard them calling, and observed that one held high up a green branch in his right hand.  The intervening country was an extensive, open, dusty plain, and our camp was partially concealed by trees.  The savages came to a stand for a moment at a low bush, a quarter of a mile off, but on my turning for a short time and again looking I perceived them already far away, scampering at amazing speed back towards the river.  It seemed as if they had become alarmed at our silence, or on discovering our numbers and the extent of our camp.  Of course we expected a visit from their tribe, either during the day’s journey or in the evening.  By proceeding in a direction 72 degrees 45 minutes East of North we travelled along a fine plain, and hit exactly a sharp angle in our former route (June 24).  Thus a distance of a mile and a half was gained upon that line, and some very soft and heavy ground avoided.  This day’s route was consequently almost a straight line, and we halted opposite to a bend of the river, 2 1/2 miles short of the camp of June 23.  As we approached this part of the river a dense column of smoke, such as the natives send up as signals, arose from it.  We saw no more of the natives however that night, although the men with the cattle noticed their fires on the other side of the river.

July 25.

As we journeyed along the former tract and over a plain near the Darling we observed smoke to arise from the same place in which it had appeared on the preceding evening; but still no natives came to us.  On passing our old camp we perceived that two men and a boy had that morning stood on the ashes of our former fires, and gone all over the ground.  We saw nothing however of the natives during the whole of this day; and we finally halted within half a mile of our encampment of June 23.  Here we found a species of Atriplex related to A. halimus.*

(Footnote.  Atriplex halimoides; fruticosa erecta squamuloso-incana, foliis rhombeo-ovatis integris, perianthiis fructiferis axillaribus solitariis sessilibus spongiosis, dorsi alis ovatis integris.  Lindley manuscripts.)

A DAY’S HALT.

June 26.

The cattle having had a fatiguing journey I thought it best to give them a day’s rest, especially as I wished to examine the country and a group of hills to the eastward.

COUNTRY EASTWARD OF THE DARLING.