CH. v.] UNEXPECTED COURSE OF THE RIVER. 105 



thinking of the circumstance, I fell to the ground, the muscles 

 having been generally affected. The wound was marked by a 

 blue circular spot, as large as a sixpence, for several months. 



Beyond the wood, a magnificent sheet of water lay before 

 us, and extended like a noble river in a north and south 

 direction. Keeping its eastern bank I traced it southwards, 

 until I reached the termination, or rather an interval, where 

 some rocks occurred in its bed, of the same kind as those 

 last mentioned. The produce of gradual decomposition lay 

 around the rocks, and seemed to prove, that although these 

 masses had been originally denuded by the current which 

 formed the channel, the current had not flowed there for a 

 very considerable time. We encamped betAveen the two 

 lagoons, separated by this interval and these rocks, in lati- 

 tude 29° 21' 21" S. 



Feh. 4. — We continued along the bank of the second la- 

 goon, which, turning towards the east, threatened to stop our 

 progress. At length, however, we arrived at the termina- 

 tion of the water, and passing over the soft mud, we pro- 

 ceeded southward to look for the Gwydir, which I knew 

 could not then be far distant. We rode through groves of 

 casuarinae, and over small plains and burnt flats. In one of 

 the thickets, we saw two small kangaroos, the first observed 

 since our arrival on the banks of this large river. Emus 

 appeared to be numerous, but very wild ; pelicans abounded 

 on the lagoons, and seemed to be remarkably tame, consider- 

 ing the remains of them, which we saw at the old fires of the 

 natives. It was obvious on various occasions, however, that the 

 first appearance of such large quadrupeds as bullocks and 

 horses, did not scare the emu, or kangaroo, but that, on the 

 contrary, when they would have run at the first appearance of 

 their enemy, man, when advancing singly, they would allow 

 him to approach mounted, and even to dismount, fire from 

 behind a horse, and load again, without attempting to run 

 off. At length, we perceived that the ground sloped towards 

 the south, and at the distance of about four miles from where 



