PROGRESS OF THE BOATS ARRESTED. 63 



appeared. Over this we got tolerably well, but at 

 the end of two miles in an E. S. E. direction from 

 Palm Island, all hopes were at an end of proceeding 

 farther in the boats, as for a great extent the river 

 was impassable for them. We found there was a 

 large sheet of water beyond, and then another dry 

 patch. It would therefore have been useless 

 labour to attempt dragging the boats over any more 

 of the dry parts. Two conical-shaped hills, so 

 much alike that we called them the Brothers, 

 bore N. by W. ^ W. one mile. 



The thermometer was 101° at noon in the shade. 

 I shot some very large dark-coloured ducks in the 

 afternoon. Kangaroos were numerous. The water 

 was fresh soon after passing Palm Island. 



That we were thus finally deterred from proceed- 

 ing farther with the boats, was a source of deep 

 mortification. Since the great flat we had expe- 

 rienced so much difficulty in getting over yesterday, 

 all had gone well. Each turn in the river appeared 

 more beautiful, and brought something new to 

 increase our interest ; and we fondly imagined that 

 great discoveries were in store for us. But the 

 fates had decreed otherwise, and we were compelled 

 to pause, after having ascended in the boats from 

 the ship above 75 miles. We named this reach, in 

 consequence, Reach Hopeless. 



November 6. — It being evidently impracticable 

 to proceed higher up in the boats ; a small party 

 of us landed at daylight, in order to ascend a neigh- 



