We had not walked more than half a mile when the salt water inlet terminated and the bed of the ravine became thickly wooded.

At the moment we gained this point some white cockatoos came soaring upwards from beneath our feet; and, as we knew that this was an infallible sign of the presence of water, we descended again to renew our search for it.
WATER DISCOVERED.
Our efforts this time were successful: in a few minutes we found a pool of brackish water which appeared, under the present circumstances, to afford the most delicious draughts, and, having drunk, we lay down by the pool to rest ourselves.

Being however doubtful as to which was the best route to lead us out of the ravine we were now in, I walked up its course, accompanied by Corporal Coles, leaving the others to rest themselves, and soon reached its head; when we found ourselves in a small but fertile valley, surrounded on all sides by rocky hills.

Here were many tracks of natives, and we came upon one of their regular haunts, where they had arranged a circle of large flat stones round a fireplace occupying the centre; on each of these stones was laid a smaller one, evidently used for the purpose of breaking small shellfish, for the remains of the shells were lying scattered about in all directions;* kangaroo bones were also plentifully strewed about, and beside each pair of stones was laid a large shell, probably used as a drinking cup.
(*Footnote.

We found the marks of an encampment of a tribe of natives.
Eight or nine spots were cleared away amongst the grass, and in the centre of each were the ashes of a small fire, close to which we noticed some loose flattened stones with a smaller one lying upon them, which the natives probably used for the purpose of bruising or grinding the seeds of plants and breaking shellfish.