Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/340

 ? SURYE� OF TI INTRTRO1ICA sl0. been lately covered with grass, recently burnt; se,. and here and there, among other-plants, Mr. Cunningham found a stunted. uca//ptu, (ud- m/a?) about six feet high. The.usual traces of natives were noticed; es- pecially in one part, where the mark of a foot had been impressed since the last high water. Large fires were burning three or four miles off, but no human beings were seen. As our gentle- men proceeded up the river, a large tight of bats flew over the boat. Very few birds were observed, but a cry like that of the" arda antigon" was heard; Mr. Roe killed a small snake about two feet iong.' Upon this excursion no fresh water was found, except a few.small drainings; but in this we were not disappointed, for the character of the country did not fayour .the idea, or inspire us with any hopes of finding a stream of sufficient consequence, to be rendei useful for our purpose. During , the absence of the boat several necessary things were done on board the ship, which it was not possible to effect under weigh. On opening some of the dry casks, their contents were found to have suffered much from weevil and rats: the latter had also made great havoc on our spae sails; and, what was of greater importance, and made me very anxious for the consequences, they Digitized , Goog[e

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