CHAPTER IV. 



Change the route to trace the course of the Gwydh- — A native village of bowers — 

 Eifect of sudden moisture on the wheels — ^Tortuous course of the Gwydir — 

 Lines of irrigation across the plains — Heavy rain — Crested pigeon — The 

 party impeded by the soft state of the surface — Lagoons near the river 

 — Excursion northward — Reach a broad sheet of water — Position of the 

 party — The common course of the river, and the situation of the range 

 considered — Nondescript tree and fruit — Plains of rich soil, beautifully 

 wooded — Small branches of the Gwydir — Much frequented by the natives — 

 Laughable interview of Dawkins with a tribe — Again reach the Gwydir — 

 A new cucumber — Cross the river and proceed northward — A night without 

 water — Man lost — Continue northward- — Water discovered by my hoi'se — 

 Native wears for catching fish — Arrive at a large and rapid river — Send 

 back for the party on the Gwydir — Abundance of three kinds of fish — Pre- 

 parations for crossing the river — Natives approach in the niglit — View 

 from one tree fastened to another — Mr. White arrives with the party and 

 lost man — detained by natives — Mr. White crosses the river — Marks of floods 

 on trees — Man lost in the woods — Natives' method of fishing — Native dog — 

 Mr. White's account of the river. 



The line of our route to this river, described uo great 

 detour, and the trees being marked, as also the ground, by 

 the cart wheels, Mr. Finch could have no difficulty in fol- 

 lowing our track tlius far. We were now, however, to turn 

 from a northern, to a western course, and I accordingly 

 explained this to Mr. Finch, in a letter which I deposited in 

 a marked tree, as arranged witli him before I set out. 



Jan. 10. — This mornins; it rained heavilv ; but we left 

 the encampment at six, to pursue the course of the Gwydir. 

 The deep and extensive hollows formed by the floods of this 

 river, compelled tis to travel southward for several miles. 

 In crossing one hollow, we passcsd among the huts of a 

 native tribe. They were tastefully disti-ibuted amongst 

 drooping acacias and casuariuee ; some resembled bowers 

 under yellow fragant mimosa; ; some were isolated under 

 the deeper shades of cusuarina- ; while others were placed 



