a Trip to Port Phillip. 69 



pursued a course N.W., and we found the country, for the 

 first three miles, heath and low scrub. We then got into a 

 thin forest, and after we had walked about nine miles, I felt 

 the same effects from the heat that I had experienced the 

 previous Monday, and, in consequence, the party halted in 

 the forest. I lay down for about two hours, and finding the 

 heat very oppressive, I took three grains of calomel, and in 

 half an hour afterwards took another pill. "Whilst we were 

 in the forest, Mr. Leake had exhausted his supply of water, 

 and at this time he was determined to leave us in search of 

 water, and accordingly Mr. Leake and one of the men left us 

 and were absent upwards of an hour. We became much 

 alarmed at their absence, but at length we heard a cooey, and 

 they returned with the intelligence that they had fallen in 

 with about one hundred native huts, and near the huts had 

 discovered water. We then packed up our things and pro- 

 ceeded on our course, and in about a quarter of an hour came 

 to a few waterholes, surrounded by a thick scrub. The party 

 dined at this place, and although it was extremely hot, we 

 remained there till five o' clock, under the shelter of a blanket 

 tent to protect us from the rays of the sun. Having filled all 

 our bottles with water, we then proceeded on our journey, 

 and supposing the distance across to the Bay of Port Phillip to 

 be only a few miles, we were induced to hope we should 

 reach the bay that night. Several times we fancied we could 

 discern the sea, and so kept on walking till ten o'clock at 

 night when we got into a piece of open scrub, and thinking it 

 safer to lay down in an open place, we determined to stay 

 there that night, and those who had blankets spread them 

 out and lay down to rest, affording part to those who bad 

 none. We were too tired either to make a fire or eat. We 

 rose at daylight and proceeded on our journey without any 

 breakfast, under the hope of making the bay. We came to 

 two or three very scrubby places, but without water, and at 

 this time I do not think there was a bottle of water amongst 

 the whole party. One or two of the gentlemen were of opi- 

 nion that we were making too much north, which prevented 

 us from reaching the bay, and as that seemed to be the object 

 of our desire, our course was altered a point or two more west, 

 and about eight o'clock in the morning we came upon a salt 

 water creek, which led to Port Phillip Bay. We found a fira 

 burning at two native huts, and every appearance of their 

 having been occupied the previous night. On the beach 

 we found tracks of natives proceeding towards Arthur's 



