We found here Unios of a fine pink and purple colour inside the valves,
and a new species of Cyclas with longitudinal ribs. Small black ants, and
little flies with wings crossing each other, annoy us very much, the one
creeping all over our bodies and biting us severely, and the other
falling into our soup and tea, and covering our meat; but the strong
night-breeze protects us from the mosquitoes. A pretty lizard (Tiliqua)
of small size, with yellowish spots on a brown ground, was caught, and
seemed to be plentiful here about. The Acacia, with very long linear
drooping leaves, that had been observed at the Dawson, re-appeared both
on Comet Creek and the banks of the Mackenzie. Our latitude was 23
degrees 33 minutes 38 seconds.
Jan. 13. - We travelled about nine miles E.N.E. over the high land, and
through open forest land, and several plains skirted on both sides by
scrub. I observed a new species of Flindersia, a small tree about thirty
feet high, with thin foliage and very regular branches, forming a spire.
The latitude was 23 degrees 29 minutes.
Jan. 14. - After travelling about three miles in a north-easterly
direction along the banks of the river - having, at about a mile from our
camp, crossed a good-sized creek on its left bank - the river took a
sudden bend to the westward, and a large creek coming from the northward,
joined it almost at a right angle to its course.
