12 degrees 38 minutes 41 seconds.
A foot-path of the natives led us through an intricate tea-tree swamp, in
which the rush of waters had uprooted the trees, and left them strewed in
every direction, which rendered the passage exceedingly difficult. In the
middle of the swamp we saw a fine camp of oven like huts, covered with
tea-tree bark. After crossing some scrubby sandstone ridges, we came to a
sandy creek, up which we proceeded until we found a small water-hole,
which had been filled by the late thunder-storms, where we encamped.
The weather had been very favourable since we left the upper South
Alligator River. It was evident from the appearance of the creek and the
swamps, that the rains had been less abundant here. Cumuli formed here
regularly during the afternoon, with the setting in of the north-west sea
breeze, but dispersed at sunset, and during the first part of the night.
Thunder clouds were seen in the distance, but none reached us. The clear
nights were generally dewy.
The country was most beautifully grassed: and a new species of Crinum,
and several leguminous plants, diversified with their pretty blossoms the
pleasing green of the flats and the forest.
Since the 23rd of November, not a night had passed without long files and
phalanxes of geese taking their flight up and down the river, and they
often passed so low, that the heavy flapping of their wings was
distinctly heard.
