80 THE SURFACE AGAIN HARDENED. [CH. IV. 



breeze on the clammy surface. In the mean time, I rode 

 northward towards the river, accompanied by Mr. White, 

 and, at about a mile from the tents, we found one of the 

 lagoons, which are supplied by its floods. The margin was 

 thickly imprinted with the marks of small naked feet, in all 

 probability, those of the gins and children, whose most con- 

 stant food, in these parts, appeared to be a large, fresh-water 

 muscle. We next traced the course of the river westward 

 for about five miles, being guided by the line of river trees. 

 When Ave arrived, wo found within them a still lasoon of 

 deep water, the banks thereof being steep like a river, and 

 enclosing the water within a very tortuous canal, or chan- 

 nel, which I had no doubt belonged to the river. To the 

 southward, the whole country was clear of wood, and pre- 

 sented one general slope towards the line of the river. 



From our camp on the plain. Mount Riddell bore 123° 

 30' E. 



Jan. 14. — After an unusually hot night, the morning 

 broke amid thunder-clouds, which threatened, by another 

 shower, to destroy our hopes of advancing this day and the 

 next at least. Nevertheless, we lost no time in yokino- the 

 cattle, and proceeding : for the heat and drought of the pre- 

 vious day had already formed a crust upon which the animals 

 could travel. Meanwhile, the thunder roared, and heavy 

 showers were to be seen falling in two directions. One rain- 

 cloud in the north-east, whence the wind blew strong, nearly 

 overtook us ; while another in the south-west, exhausted it- 

 self on the Nundawar range. But, as the wind increased, 

 the storm-clouds sank rapidly towards the part of the hori- 

 zon whence it came, until the beams of the ascending sun 

 at length overwhelmed them with a glorious flood of light, 

 and introduced a day of brilliant sunshine. 



We traversed, as rapidly as Ave could, these precarious 

 plains, keeping the Avoods, Avhich enveloped the Gwydir, on 

 our right : and thus, at the end of twelve miles, we arrived 

 on the banks of a lagoon, apparently a continuation of the 



