ALLIGATORS. 425 



wiry grass. In places near hollows, where water 

 Ijad collected, the soil, which was a dark kind of 

 clayey mould, cracked and curled up with the heat. 

 A few shells were found scattered over the plains, 

 of the kind so common on the north-east coast 

 (Helix). 



The tedious uniformity and sameness in the banks 

 of the Adelaide, thus far, may be illustrated by the 

 fact, that to know the boat's position on returnino-, it 

 was necessary to have the sketch of the river con- 

 stantly before our eyes, and to reckon each reach as 

 we passed. Taking the return tide, we passed the 

 night in the fourth reach ; very stringent orders were 

 given to the watch to keep a sharp look out for alli- 

 gators, as a great many had been seen during the day, 

 while we knew that on the previous night a monster 

 of this description had attempted to get into one of 

 the boats. We had fired at several, but with one 

 exception had done no mischief. To be roused by 

 the noise of the boat's keel or side grating harshly 

 against the scaly back of an alligator, is far from 

 being a pleasant occurrence, and on such occasions 

 I generally found myself clutching a pistol, always 

 kept near me, for the purpose of executing judgment 

 upon the very first flat-head that shewed his nose 

 above the gunwale. Entertaining very vivid recol- 

 lections of our experience on FitzRoy River, on the 

 first start of the boats great preparations were made 

 against the musquitoes ; to our agreeable surj)rise, 

 however, we experienced but slight annoyance from 



