by the peculiar conformation of the gulf.  I expected, therefore, at every stage down the Lynd, at every bend to the westward, that it would keep that course.  But, having passed the latitude of the head of the gulf, as well as those of the Van Diemen and the Staaten rivers, the Lynd still flowed to the north-west; and then, when it joined the Mitchell, I imagined that the new river would prove to be the Nassau; but, when it passed the latitude of that river, I conjectured that it would join the sea at the large embouchure in the old charts, in latitude 15 degrees 5 minutes—­the “Water Plaets” of the Dutch navigators.  To follow it farther, therefore, would have been merely to satisfy my curiosity, and an unpardonable waste of time.  Besides, the number of my bullocks was decreasing, and prudence urged the necessity of proceeding, without any farther delay, towards the goal of my journey.  I determined therefore to leave the Mitchell at this place, and to approach the sea-coast—­so near at least, as not to risk an easy progress—­and to pass round the bottom of the gulf.

June 26.—­We travelled, accordingly, about seven miles almost due west, the latitude of our new camp being 15 degrees 52 minutes 38 seconds.  On our way we passed some very fine long water-holes; some of which were surrounded with reeds, and others covered with the white species of Nymphaea; groves of Pandanus spiralis occupied their banks.  Some fine plains, full of melon-holes, but well grassed, separated from each other by belts of forest-land, in which the Pandanus was also very frequent, were crossed during the day.

June 27.—­We travelled eight miles W.S.W. over a succession of plains separated by belts of forest, consisting of bloodwood, box, apple-gum, and rusty-gum.  Some plains were scattered over with Bauhinias.  The holes along the plains are probably filled with water during the rainy season; dead shells of Paludina were extremely numerous, and we found even the shield of a turtle in one of them.  At the end of the stage, we skirted some dense scrub, and encamped at one of the lagoons parallel to a dry creek, which must belong to the Nassau, as its latitude was 15 degrees 55 minutes 8 seconds.  The lagoon was covered with small white Nymphaeas, Damasoniums, and yellow Utricularias; and on its banks were heaps of mussel-shells.  The smoke of natives’ fires were seen on the plains, in every direction; but we saw no natives.  Brown approached very near to a flock of Harlequin pigeons, and shot twenty-two of them.  A young grey kangaroo was also taken.

The kites were so bold that one of them snatched the skinned specimen of a new species of honey-sucker out of Mr. Gilbert’s tin case; and, when we were eating our meals, they perched around us on the branches of overhanging trees, and pounced down even upon our plates, although held in our hands, to rob us of our dinners;—­not quite so bad, perhaps, as the Harpies in the Aeneid, but sufficiently so to be a very great nuisance to us.