Cfl. II.] JUNCTION OF THE PEEL AND MULUERINDIE. 39 



wood is of a rich yellow hue, very compact, and possesses 

 a very agreeable perfume ; it grows on the drier parts of the 

 country. We found lofty blue gum-trees (eucalyptus) grow- 

 ing on the flats near the Peel, whose immediate banks were 

 overhung by the dense umbrageous foliage of the casuarina, 

 or " river-oak" of the colonists. 



We encamped on the river at the foot of a small hill 

 named '* Perimbungay.'* In this very interesting position, 

 I could at leisure continue from the hill my observations of 

 the country before us, while the cattle were at rest and feed- 

 ing. The " Muluerindie" had joined the Peel about a mile 

 above, and the united streams here flowed along a reach of 

 most promising extent. " Mr. Brown" said it was so deep 

 that the natives could never dive to the bottom. The ford 

 of Wallanburra, by which we were to cross this river, was 

 only a short way below, and the summit of Perimbungay 

 commanded a view of the country beyond it. The bank 

 here presented a section of at least 50 feet of rich earth ; 

 and flats of this character, of more or less width, occur 

 between the river and the hills. In the left bank at the 

 camp, I found a conglomerate rock, consisting of water- 

 worn fragments of serpentine and trap, cemented by cal- 

 careous spar. The men were very successful in fishing ; the 

 cod-perch which they caught weighing upwards of nine pounds 

 each (See fig. 1. pi. 6. page 44.) With such abundance offish, 

 and also the kangaroo, I hoped to feast " Mr. Brown, "^ but 

 he set no value on food so common to him, preferring flour 

 to all things else, while this was precisely the article which 

 I was most unwilling to spare. He ate about two pounds 

 and a half of flour daily, yet I considered his services of so 

 much value, that I felt loth to lessen his allowance ; for with 

 all this he seldom seemed satisfied. He came to me, how- 

 ever, in the afternoon, pointing to his protuberant stomach, 

 and actually declaring, that, for once at least, he did not 

 wish any more. 



Dec. 15. — To avoid, as much as possible, the heat which 



