We crossed two small creeks, and, at the end of three miles, we came to a Pandanus brook, the murmuring of whose waters over a rocky pebbly bed was heard by us at a considerable distance.  A broad foot-path of the natives led along its banks, probably to large lagoons, of which it might be the outlet.  The country became flatter, more densely wooded, and gently sloping to the northward, when we entered a tea-tree hollow, through which the mirage indicated the presence of an immense plain, which we all mistook for the Ocean.  We crossed over it to a belt of trees, which I thought to be its northern boundary.  The part of the plain next to the forest-land was composed of a loose black soil, with excellent grass; farther on it was a cold clay, either covered with a stiff, dry grass, apparently laid down by the rush of water, or forming flats bare of vegetation, which seemed to have been occasionally washed by the tide.  Finding that the belt of trees was a thicket of mangroves along a salt-water creek, I returned to some shallow lagoons near the forest, the water of which was drinkable, though brackish and aluminous.  To the westward of the plains, we saw no other limit than two very distant hills, which I took to be the two hills marked to the southward of the embouchure of the South Alligator River.  To the eastward, we saw another narrow belt of trees; beyond which, however, the plain evidently continued.  Numerous pillars of smoke were seen to the westward.

A fine north-west breeze set in at three o’clock in the afternoon, and refreshed us, as well as the cattle, which were suffering most severely from heat and fatigue.

Dec. 2.—­Whilst we were waiting for our bullock, which had returned to the running brook, a fine native stepped out of the forest with the ease and grace of an Apollo, with a smiling countenance, and with the confidence of a man to whom the white face was perfectly familiar.  He was unarmed, but a great number of his companions were keeping back to watch the reception he should meet with.  We received him, of course, most cordially; and upon being joined by another good-looking little man, we heard him utter distinctly the words, “Commandant!” “come here!!” “very good!!!” “what’s your name? !!!!” If my readers have at all identified themselves with my feelings throughout this trying journey; if they have only imagined a tithe of the difficulties we have encountered, they will readily imagine the startling effect which these, as it were, magic words produced—­we were electrified—­our joy knew no limits, and I was ready to embrace the fellows, who, seeing the happiness with which they inspired us, joined, with a most merry grin, in the loud expression of our feelings.  We gave them various presents, particularly leather belts, and received in return a great number of bunches of goose feathers, which the natives use to brush away the flies.  They knew the white people of Victoria, and called them Balanda, which is nothing