292 DISCOVERY OF 



welcome and thrilling note of the cuckoo sounding 

 afar off: —recollections of all these things, I say, 

 "rushed o'er each fancy," and bore us for a moment 

 back in imagination to our island home. 



The more rapid flow of the tide and the announce- 

 ment that there was now sufficient water for the 

 boats to proceed, broke our reverie ; and we were 

 soon once more cleaving the moonlit reach. I may 

 here mention that this bird, and another with a 

 more mournful cry, the same before spoken of 

 up the Victoria River, were heard again at even- 

 tide. 



Avoiding a large shoal, which threatened to ar- 

 rest our further progress, by a narrow channel 

 close to the west bank, we continued to pursue the 

 upward course of this inlet or river — we were 

 yet uncertain what to call it — in a general south- 

 erly direction ; though the reaches were singularly 

 tortuous, resembling the folds of a snake. The 

 depth was now only about one fathom, and our 

 progress was much impeded by banks; but by the 

 friendly aid of the moon we were able to proceed, 

 and many of the sudden bends were revealed by the 

 silvery stream of light it shed over the still waters 

 as they lay between banks now overhung by man- 

 grove thickets, now receding in plains dotted with 

 gloomy clumps of gum-trees, as far as the eye, from 

 our low position and by the imperfect light afforded, 

 could reach. As we advanced, the measured plash 

 of the oars frightened from their roosting places in 



