HEAD OF PORT BOWEN. 25 



north, in an immense mangrove swamp that occu- 

 pied all the space between us and the other part of 

 the port. Looking into the interior of the country, 

 or towards the westward, we caught glimpses 

 through the trees of a large sheet of water about 

 five miles off, and though this was probably only 

 the head of Shoalwater Bay, it was determined to 

 go and ascertain the point the following morning. 

 Returning to the boat, accordingly, Captain Black- 

 wood ordered the provisions to be got out on to the 

 little mount, and the dinner cooked. Dr. Muir- 

 head and I, meanwhile, took our guns and walked 

 along the native path to the south. In about 

 thirty yards we came on the recent footsteps of two 

 natives, apparently a man and a boy. They ended 

 suddenly near the rocks towards our encampment, 

 but we tracked them back a long way, as if they had 

 been following and reconnoitering our boat as she 

 came up from behind the mangroves, but had leapt 

 aside into the bush on our landing. In about half- 

 a-mile further we came on the track of four men 

 running, but this was two or three days old. Near 

 this was a pretty little grassy plain, about half-a- 

 mile wide, in which was a deep winding water- 

 course, now quite dry. The grass was of fine 

 quality, and breast high, but it did not extend to 

 the hills, which everywhere surrounded the little 

 plain. Except one or two small birds, we could not 

 find a living thing, so we returned to our camp and 

 dinner. In the evening we were assailed by such 



