NEW SOUTH WALES. 35 1 



the creek, but the swamps ; this direction took 

 him very far inland ; and upon his altering the 

 course lo reach the place where he had left the 

 boat, he had to cross a broad stream of fresh 

 water, which fell in lower down, and to walk 

 near three miles to reach the water side. He 

 however reached the place with great readiness, 

 and was presented with a black swan the people 

 in the boat had caught, and which was at the 

 moment ready to satisfy the appetites of his 

 party, who were perfectly prepared to do it every 

 justice. 



The traces of men and animals w T ere few, and 

 rarely met with in the upper parts during this 

 excursion ; but Lieut. Flinders found a new 

 species of pheasant, about the size of a magpye. 

 The emu was not seen, though its voice had 

 been heard so repeatedly, as to induce him to 

 suppose that bird must be numerous. The in- 

 land part of the country was higher and better 

 than in the neighbourhood of the salt water, 

 but no where did he meet with any calculated 

 for the production of the wheat. 



They reached the sloop in the evening of Sa- 

 turday the 27th, and as soon as the ebb tide 

 permitted, the following morning they got 

 under weigh to return down the river, and as 

 they proceeded, there were many natives on the 

 shore abreast of them, who seemed anxious for 

 them to land, dancing and singing to obtain 

 attention, and express their own good-will; but 

 as they could not effect their wishes, they fol- 

 lowed the sloop along the banks, and their hopes 



