Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/70

 which is found in wood that has been immersed for some time in the brackish water, in those parts of rivers affected by the tide. One of the most violent thunder-storms I ever saw, occurred whilst we rested here; and after it had passed away, it still continued raining during the remainder of the day. We now crossed the middle arm of the Nambucca, and began to see the large forest kangaroos again, which we had not encountered on the steep ranges we had passed over, although the brushes abounded with the small brush kangaroo. It was late in the evening when we entered the wide brush on the north side of Algomerra creek, and it was quite dark soon afterwards. I therefore regretted that we had not stopped at the last water-course, as it was raining heavily, and we would have to cross the jagged and pointed rocks in the bed of the Algomerra, before we emerged on open forest land again. We now wended our way slowly through the brush, preceded by the blacks, to avoid being entangled in the matted creepers. We experienced, as I had anticipated, great difficulty in getting our horses across the Algomerra by night, especially as this stream was much swollen; and as I was dragging my horse over the rocks, he made a sudden spring, and struck me violently with his forefeet, but I was not hurt. We then stopped on the open forest, and tethered out the horses. This was the most uncomfortable night we had passed during the excursion, as we had scarcely anything to eat, and could not