and a half from the grass, which was growing in tufts round the edge of the lake.  It appeared that the Williorara made a circuitous and extensive sweep and entered Cawndilla on the opposite side to that of the river, so that he had to cross a portion of the lake, and thus found that the floods had not reached it.  Mr. Browne also stated that the extent of the lake was equal to that of Lake Victoria, but that it could at no time be more than eighteen inches deep.  It was indeed nothing more than a shallow basin filled by river floods, and retaining them for a short time only.  Immense numbers of fish, however, pass into these temporary reservoirs, which may thus be considered as a providential provision for the natives, whose food changes with the season.  At this period they subsisted on the barilla root, a species of rush which they pound and make into cakes, and some other vegetables; their greatest delicacy being the large caterpillar (laabka), producing the gum-tree moth, an insect they procure out of the ground at the foot of those trees, with long twigs like osiers, having a small hook at the end.  The twigs are sometimes from eight to ten feet long, so deep do these insects bury themselves in the ground.

Mr. Browne communicated with a tribe of natives, one of whom, a very tall woman, as well as her child, was of a copper colour.

From the information he gave me of the neighbourhood of Cawndilla, I determined, on the return of Mr. Poole, and in the event of his not having found a better position, to move to that place; for it was evident from his continued absence that he must have crossed the creek at a distance from the lake, and not seeing any grass in its neighbourhood, had pushed on to the hills.  I was now anxious for his return, for we had had almost ceaseless though not heavy rain since he left us.  On the 12th, the day he started, we had thunder; on the 13th it was showery, with wind at N.W., and the thermometer at 62 degrees at 3 P. M., and the barometer at 29.742; the boiling point of water being 211.25.

Assuming Sir Thomas Mitchell’s data to be correct, my position here was in long. 142 degrees 5 minutes E., and in lat. 32 degrees 25 minutes S.

CHAPTER IV.

Toonda’s tribe—­disposition of the natives—­arrival of Camboli—­his
energy of character—­Mr. Poole’s return—­leave the Darling—­remarks on
that river—­Cawndilla—­the old boocolo—­leave the camp for the
hills—­reach A creek—­wells—­Topar’s misconduct—­ascend the
ranges—­return homewards—­leave Cawndilla with A party—­reach
Parnari—­move to the hills—­journey to N. West—­heavy rains—­return to
camp—­Mr. Poole leaves—­leave the ranges—­descent to the plains—­Mr.
Poole’s return—­his report—­Flood’s creek—­aquatic birds—­ranges diminish
in height.