Mr. Burke and I started down the creek to reconnoitre; at about eleven miles we came to some blacks fishing; they gave us some half-a-dozen fish each, for luncheon, and intimated that if we would go to their camp we should have some more and some bread.  I tore in two a piece of macintosh stuff that I had, and Mr. Burke gave one piece and I the other.  We then went on to their camp about three miles further.  They had caught a considerable quantity of fish, but most of them were small.  I noticed three different kinds; a small one that they call Cupi, from five to six inches long, and not broader than an eel; the common one, with large coarse scales, termed Peru; and a delicious fish, some of which run from a pound to two pounds weight; the natives call them Cawilchi.  On our arrival at the camp they led us to a spot to camp on, and soon afterwards brought a lot of fish, and a kind of bread which they call nardoo.  The lighting a fire with matches delights them, but they do not care about having them.  In the evening various members of the tribe came down with lumps of nardoo and handfuls of fish, until we were positively unable to eat any more.  They also gave us some stuff they call bedgery or pedgery; it has a highly intoxicating effect when chewed even in small quantities.  It appears to be the dried stems and leaves of some shrub.

Wednesday, 8th May, 1861.—­Left the blacks’ camp at 7.30, Mr. Burke returning to the junction, whilst I proceeded to trace down the creek.  This I found a shorter task than I had expected, for it soon showed signs of running out, and at the same time kept considerably to the north of west.  There were several fine waterholes within about four miles of the camp I had left, but not a drop all the way beyond that, a distance of seven miles.  Finding that the creek turned greatly towards the north, I returned to the blacks’ encampment, and as I was about to pass they invited me to stay;—­I did so, and was even more hospitably entertained than before, being, on this occasion, offered a share of a gunyah, and supplied with plenty of fish and nardoo, as well as a couple of nice fat rats—­the latter found most delicious; they were baked in their skins.

Last night was clear and calm, but unusually warm.  We slept by a fire just in front of the blacks’ camp; they were very attentive in bringing us firewood and keeping the fire up during the night.

Thursday, 9th May, 1861.—­Parted from my friends, the blacks, at 7. 30, and started for camp 9.

From Camp 9.

Friday, 10th May, 1861.—­Mr. Burke and King employed in jerking the camel’s flesh, whilst I went out to look for the nardoo seed for making bread:  in this I was unsuccessful, not being able to find a single tree of it in the neighbourhood of the camp.  I, however, tried boiling the large kind of bean which the blacks call padlu; they boil easily, and when shelled are very sweet, much resembling in taste the French chestnut; they are to be found in large quantities nearly everywhere.