416 BANKS OF THE ADELAIDE. 



a vast extent of prairie country, dotted here and 

 there with islands of timber, which served to break 

 the native monotony of the scene. Somewhat less 

 than half way up, rose on both banks a thick jungle 

 of bamboo, which, in places where the water was 

 always fresh, attained the gigantic height of from 

 60 to 80 feet. Between '20 and JO miles from the 

 mouth the soil is a good light coloured mould ; 

 above this, commencing where the bank of the 

 river is marked by a coarse red gritty sandstone 

 projection, the aspect of the country changes from 

 that of low plains to a slightly wooded and gently 

 undulating surface, in some places stony. This 

 character continued to the furthest point reached 

 in the boats, in lat. 12° 57' S., and long. 13V 19' E. 



When they had penetrated thus far into the new 

 lands of Australia, the explorers returned, having 

 experienced those sensations of delightful excite- 

 ment, to which we have before alluded, and which 

 naturallv called forth strong emotions of res^ret in 

 those who were denied a participation in the 

 feverish enjoyment of discovery. 



From the highest tree at Captain Wickham's fur- 

 thest point, the appearance of the country was, as far 

 as the eye could reach, one wearisome level, broken to 

 the southward, at a distance of ten miles, by a rocky 

 mound about 150 feet high. The river, which for 

 some distance had not been fifty yards wide, with a 

 rocky bed in places, and banks from six to twenty 

 feet high, was subject at this point to a tidal change 

 of level of about three feet, but there was no per- 



