trodden and hard.  At rather more than a mile, the path entered a forest through which flowed a nice watercourse, and we had not gone far before we found places where the blacks had been camping.  The forest was intersected by little pebbly rises, on which they had made their fires, and in the sandy ground adjoining some of the former had been digging yams, which seemed to be so numerous that they could afford to leave lots of them about, probably having only selected the very best.  We were not so particular, but ate many of those that they had rejected, and found them very good.  About half a mile further, we came close on a black fellow, who was coiling up by a camp fire, whilst his gin and piccaninny were yabbering alongside.  We stopped for a short time to take out some of the pistols that were on the horse, and that they might see us before we were so near as to frighten them.  Just after we stopped, the black got up to stretch his limbs, and after a few seconds looked in our direction.  It was very amusing to see the way in which he stared, standing for some time as if he thought he must be dreaming, and then, having signalled to the others, they dropped on their haunches, and shuffled off in the quietest manner possible.  Near their fire was a fine hut, the best I have ever seen, built on the same principle as those at Cooper’s Creek, but much larger and more complete:  I should say a dozen blacks might comfortably coil in it together.  It is situated at the end of the forest towards the north, and looks out on an extensive marsh, which is at times flooded by the sea water.  Hundreds of wild geese, plover and pelicans, were enjoying themselves in the watercourses on the marsh, all the water on which was too brackish to be drinkable, except some holes that are filled by the stream that flows through the forest.  The neighbourhood of this encampment is one of the prettiest we have seen during the journey.  Proceeding on our course across the marsh, we came to a channel through which the sea water enters.  Here we passed three blacks, who, as is universally their custom, pointed out to us, unasked, the best part down.  This assisted us greatly, for the ground we were taking was very boggy.  We moved slowly down about three miles and then camped for the night; the horse Billy being completely baked.  Next morning we started at daybreak, leaving the horse short hobbled.

Memo.—­Verbally transcribed from the Field Books of the late Mr. Wills.  Very few words, casually omitted in the author’s manuscripts, have been added in brackets.  A few botanical explanations have been appended.  A few separate general remarks referring to this portion of the diary will be published, together with the meteorological notes to which they are contiguous.  No other notes in reference to this portion of the journey are extant.

5/11/61 FERD.  Mueller.

. . .