The river was about two hundred yards broad, with sleep banks intersected by deep gullies.  Two tea-tree creeks, which entered it at the point where our examination stopped, contained fresh water in the upper part of their short courses.  We crossed the river by a rocky bar, and, below it, was another, on which the natives had erected a rude wall of stone, for catching fish.  The upper bar was not covered even by the tide; but, above it, the water although very bitter, was not salt.  We found here the carcase of a crocodile; and the skull of another was found near our camp at Cycas Creek.  After crossing the river, we followed down its left bank to the lower ford, in order to find some fresh water, and at last came to a small tea-tree gully with two pools of water, near which some natives were encamped; there were, however, only two very old men in the camp at the time, who, on seeing us, began to chaunt their incantations.  We were too anxious to examine the water to stand upon ceremony, and, when they saw us approach, they retired across the river to their friends, who were probably occupied at no great distance in collecting the seeds of Pandanus and Cycas.  In the camp, we observed Cycas seeds sliced and drying on the ground; and some Pandanus seeds soaking in large vessels; emu bones were lying in the ashes, and the feet of the emu were rolled up and concealed between the tea-tree bark of the hut.  A small packet contained red ochre to colour their bodies, and larger packets contained soaked Cycas seeds, which seemed to be undergoing fermentation.  They were of a mealy substance, and harmless; but had a musty taste and smell, resembling that of the common German cheese.  There was also a very large stone tomahawk made of greenstone; and some fans of emu feathers.

In returning, we chased and shot an emu.

Sept. 19.—­We moved our camp to the water-holes at the left bank of the Robinson, about six miles and a half west by north, from the head of the salt-water in Cycas Creek.  The longitude of the Robinson is, according to my reckoning, 136 degrees 43 minutes.  On our way we again met the natives, men, women, and children, who ran away screaming loudly.  I visited their camp again, and found that they had been there to fetch the emu feet; but had left all the other things behind.  I went with Brown to examine the country before us.  The first three or four miles lay through an open well-grassed forest and over some small plains, on which we gave an unsuccessful chase to three emus.  The Cycas disappeared as we receded from the river.  We passed a small scrubby creek, and a long tract of stringy-bark forest, mixed with bloodwood and Pandanus, and patches of Cypress pine.  Here we again observed the gum-tree with orange blossoms and large ribbed seed-vessels, which we found at the upper Lynd, and had called Melaleuca gum.  Sterculia was frequent, and we collected a great quantity of its ripe seeds.  We passed several dry swamps, surrounded with tea-tree thickets, and heaps of fresh water mussel shells.  A rich iron-stone rock cropped out frequently; its surface had the appearance of having been netted.