CH. IV.] APPROACH OF NATIVES IN THE NIGHT. 97 



Jan. 26. — A clear morning, with a fine breeze ; the tlier- 

 mometer which had ranged from 90° to 108° during the two 

 last months, stood now at 64°. To breathe such refreshing 

 air, and not move forward, was extremely irksome. The 

 river rose this day a quarter of an inch. Thermometer at 

 six, 64°. Wind south. At noon 86°. 



In the evening the sky became overcast, with a cold and 

 stormy wind. At ten p. m. I was called out of my tent to 

 look at a firestick, which appeared in motion amongst the 

 trees north-eastward of our camp. We had seen no natives, 

 but their habit of carrying a light whenever they stir at night 

 (which they do but seldom) is well known ; and the light we 

 then saw, moved in the direction of our horses and saw-pit. 

 Our numbers did not admit of our keeping a watch, and 

 although I had ordered the men to bring dogs on this ride, 

 they had brought none ; we could only, therefore, lie down 

 and trust to Providence. 



Jan. 27. — The clear cool weather continuing, I endea- 

 voured to obtain a view of the horizon from a tree, raised by 

 block and tackle to the top of another ; but no point of high 

 land appeared on any side, to break a woody horizon as level 

 as the sea. At six a.m. thermometer 70°; wind south. 



The natives to the number of ten or twelve, appeared on 

 the opposite bank. Our attention was first drawn to them 

 by the snorting and starting of the horses, which happened 

 to be grazing by the river side. On seeing us approach they 

 suddenly disappeared. About a dozen eggs, white, and the 

 size of those of a blackbird, were found by one of the men 

 in the sand, near the river-bank. Each contained a perfectly 

 formed lacertine reptile. This morning, my attention was 

 drawn by a noise resembling the growl of a dog, when I per- 

 ceived a black insect nearly as large as a bird, carrying some- 

 thing like a grasshopper, alight, and disappear in a hole. On 

 digging, it suddenly arose from amidst the dust and escajied ; 

 but we found there several large larvae ; this was the most 

 bulky insect I ever saw. A beautiful species of stilhum fre- 

 1 n 



