I got the requisite observation for latitude during the night; and since necessity is ever the mother of invention, read off my sextant by a torch made for the occasion from pieces of paperbark.

It will easily be believed, that I did not needlessly prolong the work; for the light of the torch rendered me a prominent mark for any prowling savage to hurl his spear at: however, His Eye, to whom the darkness and the light are both alike, watched over our safety, and we spent the night in security if not in silence.
November 14.
The morning broke, and we found ourselves apparently alone in the solitudes of the forest: no sound or sign indicated the presence of its more rightful proprietors.

Did the savage so soon prepare to yield to the advancing movement of that hitherto fatal civilization before which his name, his race, nay, all traces of his rude existence may ere long pass into oblivion?
or did the gathering of the night, and the apparent peaceful aspect of the morn, denote that one gallant struggle would be made ere a strange shout of triumph woke the silent echoes with the glorious name with which we had dignified our new discovery, and which throughout the world sounds as the appropriate title of the fair sovereign of its mightiest people?
RETURN TO REACH HOPELESS.
A rapid walk brought us to our old bivouac by ten o'clock, without anything of particular interest having occurred upon the route.

We found only one boat at Reach Hopeless, Captain Wickham having gone down the river with the others in order to hasten the watering party.

In another chapter will be found some more detailed remarks upon the peculiar and distinctive character of the Victoria; they will not be uninteresting to the reader who feels any of that curiosity which is in part an incitement to the discoverer.
We learnt from the party at the boat that a large body of the natives had been down watching their movements, and apparently intending if possible to surprise them.