This morning all hands were at work. Some good pinetrees were brought to
the saw-pit, and one laid upon it. The sailors were set to paint the
inside of the canvas for the boats; The Doctor to clear out the dock
previous to laying down the keel, etc.; and the bullock-drivers and smith
to make a stockyard.

FIRES IN THE BUSH.

At 11 A.M. I discovered the grass near our tents to be on fire, but with
the assistance of the people it was fortunately extinguished. All the
country beyond the river was in flames, and indeed, from the time of our
arrival in these parts, the atmosphere had been so obscured by smoke that
I could never obtain a distinct view of the horizon. The smoke darkened
the air at night, so as to hide the stars, and thus prevented us from
ascertaining our latitude. One spark might have set the whole country on
our side in a blaze, and then no food would remain for the cattle, not to
mention the danger to our stores and ammunition. Fires prevailed fully as
extensively at great distances in the interior, and the sultry air seemed
heated by the general conflagration. In the afternoon I took my rifle and
explored the course of the river some miles downwards, an interesting
walk where probably no white man's foot had ever trod before. I found a
flowery desert, the richest part of the adjacent country being quite
covered with a fragrant white amaryllis in full bloom.* The river widened
into smooth deep reaches, so that I felt sanguine about our progress with
the boats. In returning, I examined the hills on the right bank. One,
named Einerguendi by Brown, consisted of compact felspar, coloured green
by chlorite, with grains of quartz and acicular crystals of felspar.

(Footnote. Calostemma candidum, Lindley manuscripts; foliis...tubo
perianthii limbo multo breviore, corona truncata dentibus sterilibus