CHAPTER V. 



Excursion down the Karaula — Its unexpected course— Formidable insects — 

 Junction of the Gwydir — Owls and Rats — Natives at the camp during my 

 absence — Their attempts to steal— Native dogs — Tents struck to cross- 

 Arrival of Mr. Finch — Murder of his men — Loss of his horses —and seizure of 

 his stores by the natives — Destroy the boat and retire from the Karaula— 

 Forced march to the Gwydir — Numerous tribes surround the party — Good 

 effects of sky-i'ockets — Funeral dirge by a native female — Dog killed by a 

 snake — Numerous tribes follow — The party regains the plains. 



Fei. 2. — I LEFT the camp with six men and four pack- 

 animals, carrying nine days' rations, and proceeded along 

 the left bank of the newly-discovered river. I found the 

 course much more to the southward than I had expected or 

 wished. The stream separated into branches which re-united, 

 and the channel was, besides, crossed in many places by large 

 trees, reaching from bank to bank. After passing close by 

 several southerly bends, in following a bearing of 20° south 

 of west, I met the river crossing that line at right angles. 

 This was at a distance of 7| miles from the camp, and near 

 the point where the water broke over a rock of ferruginous 

 sandstone, interspersed with veins of soft white clay. The rock 

 appeared to be stratified, and inclined to the north-east. At 

 4| miles further, we again made the river on a bearing of 

 south 10° west, after crossing a small plain, and passing 

 through a scrub of tea-tree (or mimosa). Two miles beyond 

 that part of the river, we crossed the junction of a chain of 

 ponds with it ; and in proceeding on a bearing of 30° east 

 of south, we crossed, when about two miles from that junction, 

 another chain of ponds, apparently that on which we had 

 encamped on the 22nd of January. 



After riding about four miles beyond these ponds, accord- 

 ing to the windings of the river, but chiefly towards the 

 south, we encamped on a high point overlooking the stream, 



