Mr. Gilbert found a land crab in the moist ground under a log of wood; and Mr. Calvert brought me a species of helix of a yellowish green colour.

Dec. 18.—­It was with very great difficulty that we collected our horses and cattle; but we could not find one of our pack bullocks, which had concealed himself in the scrub, and, from the unfavourable situation of our camp, we were obliged to abandon it.  Old bullocks, when tired, care very little about company, and even like to retire to any solitary spot, where there is good feed and water.  Having nearly reached the end of our stage, we were overtaken by a thunder-storm from the south; which was followed by another from the west with very heavy rain.  This was the first heavy rain to which we had been exposed, whilst on the day’s march; for thunder-storms did not generally rise till after two o’clock; at which time we were usually secured in our tents.

The fine lagoons—­which I called “Brown’s Lagoons” after their discoverer—­and the good feed about them, induced me to stop for the purpose of killing the fat bullock which Mr. Isaacs had given us, and of drying it like the charqui of the South Americans; instead of waiting till Christmas, as we originally intended; especially as we were ignorant of the character of the country before us.  Accordingly, on the 18th at five o’clock in the morning, it was slaughtered and cut into thin slices; which, before night, were nearly dried by the powerful heat of an almost vertical sun.  We enjoyed ourselves very much on this occasion, and feasted luxuriously on fried liver at breakfast, on stuffed heart for luncheon, and on a fine steak and the kidneys for supper.  Those who may have lived for so long a time as we had upon a reduced fare, will readily understand with what epicurean delight these meals were discussed.

Dec. 19.—­We completed our job, by melting down the fat, with which our saddles, bridles, and all our leather gear, were well greased.  In the afternoon Mr. Calvert and Charley, who had been sent after the bullock we had left behind, returned with him.  They had found him quietly chewing the cud, in a Bricklow grove near a small pool of water.

Dec. 20.—­Whilst employed in arranging our packs, Murphy and Charley went out to examine the surrounding country.  On their return they informed me that they had met with a native camp, the inhabitants of which were probably out hunting, for they had left all their things behind.

Capparis Mitchelii was found in blossom.  The cockatoo parrakeet of the Gwyder River, (Nymphicus Novae Hollandiae, Gould.), the common white cockatoo, and the Moreton Bay Rosella parrot, were very numerous.  We also observed the superb warbler, Malurus cyaneus of Sydney; and the shepherd’s companion, or fan-tailed fly-catcher (Rhipidura); both were frequent.  Several rare species of finches were shot:  and a species of the genus Pomatorhinus, a Swan River bird, was seen by Mr. Gilbert.  The latitude of this encampment was found to be 24 degrees 44 minutes 55 seconds.