58 CONTINUE THE JOURNEY [CH. III. 



of iced water, where the air had just before been nearly as 

 warm as the blood. 



In emptying the water out of the sunken boat, we found a 

 cray-fish, resembling those which I had seen in the fresh 

 water lagoons about Lake George ; the remains of this crus- 

 tacean were also abundant there, at places where water had 

 been but very temporarily lodged.* 



We dismantled our boats, packing up the canvass ; and 

 in the hollow of a large tree, I buried my collection of 

 geological specimens, that we might be loaded as liglitly as 

 possible. 



Dec. 31. — Quitting this spot at seven a. m., we continued 

 on a bearing of 20° west of north, and passed through a 

 scrub of acacia pendula, in which grew some eucalypti. At 

 two and three-quarter miles, we entered on a spacious open 

 plain, which appeared to extend westward to the river, a 

 distance of about two miles. We crossed the more elevated 

 and eastern part of this plain. We next entered a scrub of 

 acacia pendula, which at seven miles opened into a forest of 

 apple-trees, and other eucalypti. We soon after reached 

 Maule's creek, the passage of which, on account of its steep 

 banks, cost us an hour and a half. This induced me to en- 

 camp there, influenced also by the apprehension of a want 

 of water, at any convenient distance beyond it. On first 

 approaching water, I had frequently an opportunity of ob- 

 serving, that the worst characters have the least control over 

 their appetites, in cases of extreme privation. It was a 

 standing order, which I insisted on being observed, that no 

 man should quit the line of route to drink, without my per- 

 mission. Tiiere was one, notwithstanding, who never could, 

 in cases of extremity, resist the temptation of water, and 

 who would rush to it, regardless of conse(|uences. Now this 

 man continued to be an irreclaimable character, and in six 

 years after, he had lost all the advantages ho gained by his 



* A species of astucu.s, \vliieli,as far as 1 uiii uwarc, comes very close to the 

 common liuroi)ettu ciHy-lisli. 



