The red wallabies were very numerous, particularly in the kind of jungle
along the river. Sheldrakes and Ibises abounded at the water-holes.
Charley shot two wallabies.
Oct. 26. - We enjoyed most gratefully our two wallabies, which were
stewed, and to which I had added some green hide to render the broth more
substantial. This hide was almost five months old, and had served as a
case to my botanical collection, which, unfortunately, I had been
compelled to leave behind. It required, however, a little longer stewing
than a fresh hide, and was rather tasteless.
We accomplished about eight miles in a straight line to the westward, but
went over a much greater extent of ground; as I mistook a large though
dry creek from the northward for the river, and followed it about four
miles; when, finding my mistake, I crossed about four or five miles of
rich treeless plains, and reached the river again at the foot of a long
high range to the westward. Other ranges appeared to the eastward and
northward. As we approached the river, we passed some sandstone hills
covered with a dense scrub exactly like that of the sea coast south of
Limmen Bight.
