their cooking was very simple; the fire soon separated the shell from the meat, which with the entrails was devoured in a few minutes.  Some of the people went to visit their camp, where they found eight or ten men, but the women and children were sent away.  The same jealousy of women exists throughout the interior.  The great number of fallen trees was in some measure accounted for by the men observing about a dozen trees on fire near this camp, no doubt the more easily to expel the opossums, rats, and other vermin which inhabit their hollows.  We were not successful with our lines, though the depth and breadth of the river had made us a little sanguine.  There did not appear any great marks of flood; none was seen exceeding five feet in height, which led us to conclude its source was not very distant.  This river was named Sydney, as we this day crossed the meridian of that town.

September 8.—­We proceeded up Sydney River to the south-east about three miles before we could find a convenient Place to Cross, as the stream ran with great rapidity over a rocky bottom.  The country on either side sloped to the river with gradual declension, and was an open forest country.  On crossing the river, we passed through some noble forests of stringy bark, growing generally on the sides and ridges of stony barren hills:  thew forests extended above two miles from the east of the river., after which the country became perfectly open, and of a level, or rather alternately rising surface.  To the north and north-east the river was beautiful, the same description of country extending as far as the eye could reach, with no elevated points or ridges to obstruct it.  Indeed I am clearly of opinion, that if we had kept a more northerly course from Lushington Valley, we should have avoided the rugged though fine country we have passed through for the last two days.  The determination of all the hills and slopes is northerly, and the rivers which we have crossed have also taken the same direction.  We proceeded about nine miles farther through the finest open country, or rather park, imaginable; the general quality of the soil excellent, though of a strong and more tenacious description than farther westerly.  We halted in a fine and spacious valley, where art, so far as it is an auxiliary of beauty, would have been detrimental to the fresher and simpler garb of nature.  This valley was watered by a fine brook, and at a a distance of a mile we saw several fires, at which appeared many natives:  upon discovering us, however, they immediately departed.  I think that the most fastidious sportsman would have derived ample amusement during our days journey.  He might without moving have seen the finest coursing, from the commencement of the chase to the death of the game:  and when tired of killing kangaroos, he might have seen emus hunted with equal success.  We numbered swans and ducks among our acquisitions, which in truth were caught without much exertion on