from its left bank, and a fine open extensive flat stretched to the westward.  I looked into the Casuarina thickets which occasionally fringed its bank, in search of water; but found none.  I was frequently on the point of returning, but, induced by the presence of reeds, continued the search, until the scrub again approached the right side of the creek; and, in one of those chains of ponds which almost invariably exist at the outside of these scrubs, a small pool of water was found.  This gave me fresh confidence, and I was eagerly examining the creek, when Brown exclaimed, “Plenty of water, sir! plenty of water!” and a magnificent lagoon, surrounded by a rich belt of reeds, lay before us.  The natives must have been at this spot some time before, and have burned the grass; as the earth was now covered with a delicate verdure.  The country appeared flat, and was so openly timbered with fine flooded gum-trees, that we could see for a considerable distance; a circumstance very favourable to us, in case of the natives proving hostile.  It would appear that this place was frequently resorted to by the natives:  the bark had been recently stripped in various places; the huts were in good repair, with heaps of muscle-shells and some kangaroo-bones about them.  We returned to the camp with the joyous news; for I had been greatly perplexed as to the direction I ought to take.  Charley returned very late with the strayed cattle, and reported that he had seen the smoke of the Blackfellow’s fires all along the western ranges.  This was welcome intelligence; for we knew that their presence indicated the existence of a good country.  Yesterday in coming through the scrub, we had collected a large quantity of ripe native lemons, of which, it being Sunday, we intended to make a tart; but, as my companions were absent, the treat was deferred until their return, which was on Monday morning, when we made them into a dish very like gooseberry-fool; they had a very pleasant acid taste, and were very refreshing.  They are of a light yellow colour, nearly round, and about half an inch in diameter; the volatile oil of the rind was not at all disagreeable.

The chains of water-holes within the scrub are covered with a stiff star-grass, having a great number of spikes rising from the top of the stem; and several sedges crowd around the moister spots.  A stiff, wiry, leafless polygonaceous plant grows in the shallow depressions of the surface of the ground, which are significantly termed by the squatters “Melon-holes”, and abound in the open Box-tree flats.  A small shrubby Stenochilus with very green linear lanceolate leaves and red tubulous flowers, is frequent amongst the Bricklow.

The pools and lagoons contain Unios, Paludinas, and the lanceolate and oval Limnaeas.  Fine dry weather has set in; the northerly breeze is still very regular; but the mornings, from eight to eleven, are very hot.  A few mosquitoes have made their appearance, probably in consequence of the late rains.  Charley killed a Diamond snake, larger than any he had ever seen before; but he only brought in the fat, of which there was a remarkable quantity.  The Iguanas (Hydrosaurus, Gray) have a slight bluish tinge about the head and neck; but in the distribution of their colours, generally resemble H. Gouldii.