310 FISHES. [CH. VII. 



The species of fish most abundant in the Darling, is the 

 Gristes Peelii, or cod-perch, and they are caught of a very 

 large size by the natives. We also saw the thick-scaled 

 mud-tasted fish (Cernua Bidyana, see page 95). We did 

 not, on this occasion, see that very remarkable fish, the Eel- 

 fish (Plotosus Tanclanus), so abundant in the higher parts of 

 the river. The water was too clear, and the weather too 

 cold , for fishing with bait, one of each of the two species 

 first mentioned, caught during our first occupation of Fort 

 Bourke, being all we ever procured. 



No rain had fallen during the four months, which had 

 elapsed since we left the colony, and it was probable that 

 the ponds of the Bogan, many of which our cattle had drank 

 up during our advance, would not afford a sufficient supply 

 of water, nor even be numerous enough on the route for 

 our daily wants, considering the short stages, we were 

 obliged to travel, on account of the exhausted cattle. We 

 had already lost six bullocks on our return journey, some 

 having got bogged, and others having lain down from 

 weakness, never to rise. For three hundred miles, we 

 were now to depend on the ponds of the Bogan, and again 

 to contend with the scarcity of water, a disadvantage from 

 which we had been quite free, while on the banks of the 

 Darling. 



Avfj. 1 1 . — Having, at length, two days of leisure, I 

 was anxious to com])lete my surveys of this river. I found, 

 that the distance from D'Urban's group to Mr. Hume's 

 tree, the furthest point attained by Captain Sturt, was 17 

 miles and 22 chains, not 33 miles as stated by that tra- 

 veller ; and that the highest summit of D'Urban's group, 

 bore from it 53° E. of S. not 58° E. of S. the latter bearing, 

 as given by Sturt, being probably a clerical or typographical 

 error. 



Aug. 12. — About ten a. m. the calls of the natives were 

 he.ird, and four or five came towards tiie camp, asking for 



