Sept. 29.—­I reconnoitered with Charley in a north by west course, and travelled through a most wretched country.  Cypress-pine thickets alternated with scrubby stringy-bark forest, acacia and tea-tree thickets, and with broad tea-tree forest.  The Bossiaea with broad leafless stem, was one of the principal components of the scrub.  About eight miles from our camp, we crossed a small creek with good water-holes; and at four miles and a half further, came to a river with several channels, separated by high and irregular bergues, with a sandy bed containing large pools of water surrounded with water Pandanus and drooping tea-trees.  Acacia neurocarpa, and a species of Cassia, which we had observed since leaving Seven Emu River, grew on the sands.  After giving our horses a short rest, during which we refreshed ourselves with a pot of Sterculia coffee, we returned towards our camp; but, wishing to find a more open road, kept more to the eastward, and came sooner than I expected to Sterculia Creek:  which name I had given to the creek on which we were encamped, in reference to the groves of Sterculias of both species, rose-coloured as well as heterophylla, which grow on its banks.  We followed it up for seven miles, when the setting sun, and our great fatigue, induced us to stop.  The creek changed its character every quarter of a mile, forming now a broad sandy or pebbly bed, then a narrow channel between steep banks; and again several channels, either with fine water-holes, or almost entirely filled up and over-grown with a scanty vegetation.  On the banks, thickets alternated with scrubs and open country, and, lower down, the country became very fine and open.  Early in the morning of the 30th, we started again, and arrived at the camp after a long ride, both hungry and tired.

CHAPTER XIII

Cape Maria—­obliged to leave A portion of our collection of natural
history—­Limmen bight river—­habits of water birds—­native fish trap—­the
four archers—­the Wickham—­the dog Dies—­immense number of ducks and
geese—­the Roper—­three horses drowned—­obliged to leave A portion of my
botanical collection—­more intercourse with FRIENLDY natives,
circumcised—­Hodgson’s creek—­the Wilton—­another horse drowned—­anxiety
about our cattle—­an attack on the camp frustrated—­boils—­basalt
again—­injurious effects of the seeds of an acacia.