pack-straps, etc., during the latter part of the journey, when clothing was at a premium; of the explorers themselves, “more aboriginum,” who found that the protection it afforded them against cold, wet, and mosquitoes, far outweighed any slight redolence, which, after all, could only be offensive to anyone not equally anointed.  At night the Brothers camped on the north side of the Deception, or Jardine, leaving the party again to await their report and return, the cattle being in charge of Scrutton.

‘February’ 25.—­There was an early start this morning, but the little party did not make much headway that day, for after two miles of boggy brushwood country their progress was suddenly arrested by a sea of water, the overflow of a large creek, the outline of which could be traced by a fringe of dark green foliaged trees.  Some fruitless attempts were made to cross it at different points.  At the narrowest part they could find, on running it down at a spot where the channel was hemmed in by ridges on either side, it was still half-a-mile wide, and running very strongly in the actual channel.  They therefore had to resign themselves to wait patiently till the flood went down, apparently not a near prospect, for the rain still continued to drizzle unceasingly.  After hunting about for some time they were fortunate enough to find a good dry camp when turning out, they disposed themselves to await the subsidence of the water, with what patience they might.  The next two days were spent in hunting for the pot, and exploring for a good crossing place.  In the former they met with no success, all they were able to find being a kind of wild grape, about the size of a small marble.  They are black and sweet, and as Alexander Jardine describes, “very good to eat, but they take all the skin off the tongue and lips!” On the evening of the second day they had the pleasure of seeing that the creek was slowly going down, giving promise that they might be able to cross it on the morrow.

‘February’ 28.—­This morning they had the satisfaction of seeing that the creek had fallen sufficiently to enable them to cross, but not without swimming.  At the spot they chose for going over the stream was about fifteen yards wide, but the current very rapid.  The horses were crossed in the usual manner, swimming with their saddles on their backs, but the rations, etc., were passed over by a different method, one which did credit to the projector.  A kind of flying suspension bridge was improvised, by which they were slung to the other side, in a manner proving that necessity is the mother of invention.  By attaching one end of their light tent-line to the branches of an over-hanging tree on the hither side, and the other end to a butt on the opposite bank, the “swag” slid down by its own gravity, and was safely crossed.  Their ‘impedimenta’ were thus safely transported to the opposite bank, the whole process occupying about an hour.  They were well re-paid