was foul; but such was not the case.  The current was not so strong as when we passed down, since the river had evidently fallen more than a foot, and was so shallow in several places, that we were obliged to haul the boat over them.  On these occasions we were necessarily obliged to get out of her into the water, and had afterwards to sit still and to allow the sun to dry our clothes upon us.  The unemployed consequently envied those at the oars, as they sat shivering in their dripping clothes.  I was aware that it was more from imagination than reality, that the men fancied the boat was unusually heavy, but I hesitated not in humouring them, and rather entered into their ideas than otherwise, and endeavoured to persuade them that she pulled the lighter for the cleaning we gave her.

A tribe of natives joined us, and we had the additional trouble of guarding our stores.  They were, however, very quiet, and as we had broken up our casks, on leaving the coast, we were enabled to be liberal in our presents of iron hoop, which they eagerly received.  We calculated that we should reach the principal junction in about fifteen days from this place.

Native burial-place.

The natives left us to pursue our solitary journey as soon as the boat was reloaded.  Not one of them had the curiosity to follow us, nor did they appear to think it necessary that we should be attended by envoys.  We stopped for the night upon the left bank; and close to a burial-ground that differed from any I had ever seen.  It must have been used many years, from the number of bones that were found in the bank, but there were no other indications of such a place either by mounds or by marks on the trees.  The fact, therefore, is a singular one.  I have thought that some battle might have been fought near the place, but I can hardly think one of their battles could have been so destructive.

Impeded by shoals.

We had now only to make the best of our journey, rising at dawn, and pulling to seven and often to nine o’clock.  I allowed the men an hour from half-past eleven to half-past twelve, to take their bread and water.  This was our only fare, if I except an occasional wild duck; but these birds were extremely difficult to kill, and it cost us so much time, that we seldom endeavoured to procure any.  Our dogs had been of no great use, and were now too weak to have run after anything if they had seen either kangaroos or emus; and for the fish, the men loathed them, and were either too indifferent or too much fatigued to set the night-lines.  Shoals frequently impeded us as we proceeded up the river, and we passed some rapids that called for our whole strength to stem.  A light wind assisted us on two or three of these occasions, and I never failed hoisting the sail at every fitting opportunity.  In some parts the river was extremely shallow, and the sand-banks of amazing size; and the annoyance of dragging the boat over these occasional bars, was very great.  We passed several tribes of blacks on the 19th and 20th; but did not stop to communicate with them.