water that had suddenly been petrified; and in another place they resembled the time-worn battlements of a feudal castle.  It will naturally be asked, of what could these cliffs have been composed to assume so many different forms? and what could have operated to produce such unusual appearances?  The truth is, they were composed almost wholly of clay and sand.  Wherever the latter had accumulated, or predominated, the gradual working of water had washed it away, and left the more compact body, in some places, so delicately hollowed out, that it seemed rather the work of art than of nature.  This singular formation rested on a coarse grit, that showed itself in slabs.

From the frequent occurrence of rapids I should imagine that we had fallen considerably, but there was no visible decline of country.  The river swept along, in broad and noble reaches, at the base of the cliffs.  Vast accumulations of sand were in its bed, a satisfactory proof of the sandy character of the distant interior, if other proof were wanting.

We did not see so many natives on the 28th as we had been in the habit of seeing; perhaps in consequence of the boisterous weather.  A small tribe of about sixty had collected to receive us, but we passed on without taking any notice of them, Nevertheless they deputed two of their men to follow us, who overtook us just as we stopped for the purpose of pitching our tents before the clouds should burst, that just then bore the most threatening appearance.  The blacks seemed to be perfectly aware what kind of a night we should have, and busied themselves preparing a hut and making a large fire.

The evening proved extremely dark, and towards midnight it blew and rained fiercely.  Towards morning the wind moderated, and the rain ceased.  Still, the sky was overcast, and the clouds were passing rapidly over us.  The wind had, however, changed some points, and from the N.W. had veered round to the S.S.W.; and the day eventually turned out cool and pleasant.

Large tribe of natives—­their indifference to fire-arms.

We fell in with a large tribe of natives, amounting in all to 270.  They were extremely quiet, and kept away from the boat; in consequence of which I distributed a great many presents among them.  This tribe was almost the only one that evinced any eagerness to see us.  The lame had managed to hobble along, and the blind were equally anxious to touch us.  There were two or three old men stretched upon the bank, from whom the last sigh seemed about to depart; yet these poor creatures evinced an anxiety to see us, and to listen to a description of our appearance, although it seemed doubtful whether they would be alive twenty-four hours after we left them.  An old woman, a picture of whom would disgust my readers, made several attempts to embrace me.  I managed, however, to avoid her, and at length got rid of her by handing her over to Fraser, who was no wise particular as to the object of his attention.  This tribe must have been one of the most numerous on the banks of the Murray, since we fell in with detached families for many miles below the place where we had parted from the main body.