308 CHANGE IN THE VEGETATION. 



rivers, explored by the Beagle's officers, the Victoria 

 and the Adelaide ; and we were glad of such an 

 opportunity of again showing our loyalty to Her 

 Majesty, by conferring the name of her noble con- 

 sort upon this important stream ; it was accordingly 

 christened The Albert. 



The boats now glided rapidly onwards, and 

 W. by N. another mile brought us to three islands, 

 which we passed on the right ; after landing for ob- 

 servations, with the stars Achernar and Aldebaran, 

 at some earthy cliffs ten feet high on the left bank. 

 The river now wound round a point to the west- 

 ward, three-quarters of a mile wide ; in the first 

 bend we passed four islands on the right, with a 

 creek on either side, and towards the end of the 

 next, two more on the left. 



August ^. — Daylight now burst upon us with 

 tropical rapidity. The banks had assumed a very 

 different appearance ; the monotonous mangroves 

 had given place to gum-trees and acacias, which 

 drooped over the stream, partly concealing a rich 

 growth of large flags. This change in the charac- 

 ter of the foliage was not only in itself a relief, but 

 evinced that we had at length, in some sort, escaped 

 the influence of the sea, and that we were in reality 

 penetrating towards the interior of the continent. 



Our course was now N. W. ^ W. for a mile and 

 a half, with an increase in the width, and a depth 

 of nine feet. Here we found the river suddenly 

 turn round to the southward and eastward, bringing 



