66 



PREPARATIONS FOR 



sions for an early start to-morrow morning occupied 

 the greater part of the day. Mr. Bynoe, as he had 

 done yesterday, added to his valuahle collection a few 

 rare birds, and strange plants ; while I took several 

 readings of the barometer, morning and evening, for 

 the elevation of the bed of the river : the mean gave 

 a resulting height of thirty feet. 



Our bivouac at Reach Hopeless, was under the 

 shade of a cluster of drooping gum-trees, which 

 secreted in their thick foliage, numbers of a bird 

 figured by Mr. Gould as Tripidorhynchus argen- 

 ticeps. These kept up a constant amusing chatter, 

 in which we could frequently detect an exact imita- 

 tion of the words Walk Up, when spoken sharply. 

 A kangaroo Mr. Bynoe had shot, and hung on a 

 tree, drew the attention of birds of prey, consisting 

 of two kinds of hawks, one of a dark brown, almost 

 black, and another a lighter shade of the same colour, 

 resembling copper, with a great deal of white about 

 the head; so that we were surrounded with feathered 

 companions. 



The wind as usual was E. N. E. in the morning, 

 and N. W. in the eveninof. The thermometer ranged 

 from 97 to 112° during the day, and fell to 90° at 

 night ; during which we noticed several meteors 

 in the north and north-west falling perpendicularly. 



November 8. — Our little band left the boats before 

 daylight, the morning being agreeably cool (temp. 

 85°). Captain Wickham had intended heading 

 this most interesting expedition himself, but feeling 



