We were sorry to perceive that it was much occupied by shoals, that showed themselves at this time of tide.

The first began five miles beyond our station, commencing from abreast of a rugged ridge, on the west bank.

The singular manner in which the blocks of sandstone were strewed over this height, caused it to bear a strong resemblance to old ruins.

The appearance of the country had not as yet improved, though the sandstone had lost that reddish hue we had noticed in the morning, while preserving the very marked dip to the south-east.
Continuing we found the change in the direction of the river very slight, and at the end of sixteen miles it suddenly turned off to the eastward, which I was sorry to find, as its diverging from its original south-easterly direction, appeared likely to disappoint our expectation that the Victoria would prove a highroad to the interior of the continent.

The width had hitherto been almost two miles, but there was not sufficient depth to give us any hope of bringing the ship up thus far.
APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY.
The country now began to assume a more cheerful aspect.