These rising grounds were thinly wooded with a small sort of gum tree, called in the Isle of France the Bois noir.
We soon reached low marshy land intersected with large dry mud flats and, as it was impossible, from the nature of the country, to get the pony further, I tethered it, and we tried to make the river on foot.

The position which we had selected was however so unfavourable that we did not succeed in reaching the river, and my wound became so painful that I was scarcely able to crawl back to the pony.
We then returned to the tents, which we reached in the afternoon, and I sent another party out to examine the country and to see if they could find a more favourable position for the tent where we might be less exposed to the mosquitoes.

The remainder of the men were employed in repairing the packsaddles and in mending our shoes, which were in a very dilapidated condition.

The detached party, on their return, reported that they could not find a more favourable position for the tents; and that we appeared to be on a low marshy tongue of land which the river nearly flowed round.

We this day saw the tracks of an emu, and of several large dogs, and kangaroos.
ASCEND A HILL.
March 4.
By sunrise I had gained the foot of the highest hill near our encampment.
It is a very remarkable rocky eminence; in height above the immediate base it was only 250 feet, but it rose by a regular steep slope from the river, which was distant about four miles.