422 EXTENSIVE REACHES. 



and out would start suddenly three or four white 

 ibises with black necks, giving utterance to a peculiar 

 cry, which faintly resembles that of the male guinea 

 fowl. All else was deep unbroken silence. 



By evening we had again reached the entrance of 

 the river, where we passed the night, during which 

 there was a very heavy dew. 



August 5. — The lower part of the Adelaide hav- 

 ing been already explored, prevented us from ex- 

 periencing that depth of interest which we should 

 otherwise have felt ; still we were destined to 

 enjoy our share of pleasurable sensations, as on 

 the result of our examination depended the impor- 

 tant fact of whether the river was navigable for 

 large vessels. We therefore started to settle this 

 momentous question, even before the eastern sky 

 was tinted with orange from the rising of the sun, 

 which in these latitudes gives no glimmering twi- 

 light: day fading and appearing instantaneously, 

 the rapidity of the change presenting a remarkable 

 effect. 



Passing a narrow part, formed by two low red 

 cliffy projections, we entered a wide reach that 

 had an extensive flat of 2 and 2^ fathoms water 

 on the south side. The next was similarly circum- 

 stanced, the shoal water of the same depth, being, 

 however, on the west side. Still in both there was a 

 3 fathom channel at low water, and in the reaches 

 above, seven in number, trending in a general 

 8. S. E. direction, about twice that depth. This 



