however, impossible to make any presents, as we had nothing to spare.  They particularly admired the red blankets, were terror-struck at the sight of a large sword, which they tremblingly begged might be returned into the sheath, and wondered at the ticking of a watch, and at the movement of its wheels.  The greater part were young men of mild disposition, and pleasing countenance; the children remained in the distance, and I only saw two women.

According to their statements, the scrub extends to the Condamine.

The scrub was crossed in every direction by tracks of wallabies, of which, however, we could not even get a sight.  The glucking bird—­by which name, in consequence of its note, the bird may be distinguished—­was heard through the night.  They live probably upon the seeds of the cypress-pine; the female answers the loud call of the male, but in a more subdued voice.

A Gristes, about seven inches long, resembling the one described in Sir Thomas Mitchell’s journey, but specifically different from it, was caught in the water-holes of the creek, which I called “Dried-beef Creek,” in memorial of our late occupation.

A Goodenoviaceous shrub, a pink Hibiscus, and a fine prostrate Sida, were found between the camp of the 27th October and Dried-beef Creek.

Nov. 4.—­Having previously examined and found a passage through the scrub, we travelled through it for about eight miles on a north by west course.  The head of Dried-beef Creek, was found to be formed by separate water-holes, in a slight hollow along the scrub; and, when these disappeared, we were moving over a perfectly level land, without any sign of drainage, but occasionally passing isolated holes, now for the greater part dry.  On our left, our course was bounded by a dense Bricklow scrub; but, on our right, for the first four miles, the country was comparatively open, with scattered Acacias; it then became densely timbered, but free from scrub.  Farther on, however, scrub appeared even to our right.  A natural opening, which had recently been enlarged by a bush fire, enabled us to pass into a dense Ironbark and cypress-pine forest; and then, bearing a little to the right, we came on a slight watercourse to the northward, which rapidly enlarged as it descended between ranges, which seemed to be the spurs of the table land we had just left.

Nov. 5.—­We observed the tomb of a native near our camp.  It was a simple conical heap of sand, which had been raised over the body, which was probably bent into the squatting position of the natives; but, as our object was to pass quietly, without giving offence to the aborigines, we did not disturb it.  It is, however, remarkable that, throughout our whole journey, we never met with graves or tombs, or even any remains of Blackfellows again; with the exception of a skull, which I shall notice at a later period.  Several isolated conical hills were in the vicinity of our camp; sandstone cropped out in the creek, furnishing us with good whetstones.