CH. VI.] MUSQUITOES TROUBLESOME. 135 



the course indicated by the natives, we made a slight detour, 

 and travelled over hard ground into our old track again. 

 This useful information given so kindly by these natives, 

 convinced me that no treachery was intended, although 

 among the men, who had so recently buried their comrades, 

 I believe a different opinion prevailed. 



No other impediment obstructed our progress through 

 these woods, which consisted of the iron-bark species of 

 eucalyptus, and we soon emerged on the plains, where the 

 surface being composed of clay, was found much the best for 

 travelling upon at that season, and altogether free from 

 that rottenness, which in some parts of the forest, had this 

 day so greatly impeded the party. We encamped on the 

 ground, which we had formerly occupied at Lobster Pond. 



During this and the two preceding days, the party was 

 tormented by a very large species of musquitoe, which had 

 not been previously seen on this journey. They were most 

 troublesome when the morning was growing warm. Their 

 colour was grey, and they had thin black parallel stripes 

 on the back. We met these tormenting insects, on first 

 entering the woods from the plains. During the drought, 

 a smaller species had been troublesome at night, as I had 

 frequently experienced, when obliged to sit, sextant in hand, 

 awaiting the passage of stars near the meridian. I found 

 that the burning a little bullock dung in my tent, cleared it 

 of all musquitoes for the night. 



Feb. 23. — This morning we were early en route^ in hopes 

 to reach the Nammoy. I took care to find again the tree 

 which bore the yellow flowers ; as it certainly was rare, 

 being the only one of the description seen throughout the 

 journey. Now, however, the flowers had given place to 

 young fruit, which were of the size of an acorn, and grew on 

 a long hooked stalk.* 



In crossing the low ridge, which separates the plains from 

 the Nammoy, we again toiled through very soft ground. 



* See Chapter viii. of next Journey for a description of this tree. 



