(Camp III.)

8TH APRIL.--We continued our journey nearly northward, keeping the river
woods in sight, as much as the country permitted. An arm or anabranch, at
first containing much water, and coming from the north, was on our right
for some miles. In following it, our natives found the tracks of three
horses, one only having had shoes on, and two foals, as if proceeding
first towards our camp, then returning. The branch from the river became
dry and sandy, but still we followed its course. We saw about a mile to
the eastward, beyond this dry channel, a splendid sheet of water on a
level with the general surface, and having extensive tracts of emerald
green vegetation about it. The dry channel obliged me to make a longer
journey than I had intended. At length, on finding the requisite water in
its bed, I encamped. This was near a pond, on whose sandy margin we saw
still the tracks of the three horses that had been there to drink. The
scrubs came close to the river with intervals of grassy plain. The ACACIA
PENDULA, and its concomitant shrubs, the SANTALUM OBLONGATUM, and others,
gave beauty to the scenery, and with abundance of water about, all hands
considered this a very fine country. At sunset, thunder-clouds gathered
in the S. W., and at about 7 P. M. the storm reached our camp,
accompanied by a sudden, very strong gale from the S. E. The lightning
was very vivid, and for half an hour it rained heavily. By 8 P. M. it was
over, and the serene sky admitted of an observation of Regulus, by which
the latitude was found to be 28° 17' 8" S. (No. IV.) Thermometer at
sunrise, 61°; at noon, 91°; at 4 P. M. 94°; at 9, 66°;--with wet bulb
63°.

9TH APRIL.--The branches of the river, and flats of Polygonum, obliged me
to follow a N. W. course. I did so most willingly, as we had already got
further to the eastward than I wished. The arm of the river spread into a