98 MARKS OF FLOODS ON TREES. [CH, IV. 



quently visited my tent ; its buz, having two distinct notes, 

 had a very pleasing sound. The sandy banks abounded with 

 a species of monedula, and others of the BemhecidoB tribe. In 

 dead trees we found the scutellera corallifera, as described in 

 the Appendix to Captain King's voyage. 



This day the river fell nearly an inch. 



Jan. 28. — JVIr. White arrived with the carts and the depot 

 party, including Souter, *' the doctor," who had wandered 

 from our camp in search of water on the 21st instant. His 

 story was, that on going about six miles from the camp, he 

 lost his way, and fell in with the blacks, who detained him 

 one day and two nights, but having at length effected his 

 escape, while they wxre asleep, early on the second morning, 

 he had made the best of his way towards the Gwydir, and thus 

 reached the depot camp. 



This day Mr. White crossed the river and examined the 

 country for several miles beyond it, in search of the " pine" 

 (or callitris\ which we required for the completion of our boat, 

 but he found none in that direction. About three miles to 

 the north of our camp, he came upon a chain of large lagoons, 

 extending in a westerly direction, and the drift marks on 

 trees shewed, that at some seasons, a considerable current of 

 •water flowed there to the westward, rising occasionally to the 

 height of ten or twelve feet above the surface of these lag-oons. 

 He also saw a kangaroo, a circumstance which indicated that 

 hisfher forest land was not far distant. Thermometer at six 

 A. M. 67°. Wind N. E. high. Sky clear. At noon, thermo- 

 meter 87, clear sky. 



We now looked with some anxiety for Mr. Finch's arrival, 

 and, in order to preserve our provisions as long as possible, I 

 determined to make the abundance of fish available, by dis- 

 tributing fisliing-hooks to the men, and to reduce their weekly 

 ration of ])ork fix^m 3^ lbs. to 2 lbs. 



In fishing we were tolerably successful ; but flour was the 

 article of which we stood most in need, and for this the coun- 

 try afforded no substitute, although I reduced the allowance 



