The natives had surrounded the water-hole on which we encamped with a barricade or hedge of dry sticks, leaving only one opening to allow the emus to approach the water. Near this the natives probably kept themselves concealed and waited for the emus; which in these parts were remarkably numerous. On the 11th, John, Charley, and Brown, rode down three birds, and, on the 14th, they obtained four more, two of which were killed by John Murphy, who rode the fleetest horse and was the lightest weight. The possibility of riding emus down, clearly showed in what excellent condition our horses were. Even our bullocks although foot-weary upon arriving at the camp, recovered wonderfully, and played about like young steers in the grassy shady bed of the creek, lifting their tails, scratching the ground with their fore feet, and shaking their horns at us, as if to say, we'll have a run before you catch us. The latitude of these water-holes was 18 degrees 4 minutes 27 seconds, and they were about nine miles from the crossing place of the river, which I calculated to be in longitude 139 degrees 20 minutes (appr.). The plains were covered with flocks of small white cockatoos, (Cocatua sanguinea, GOULD.) which Mr. Gilbert had mentioned as having been found in Port Essington: their cry was rather plaintive, and less unmelodious than the scream of the large cockatoo; nor were they so shy and wary, particularly when approaching the water. August 15.--Our beasts were so heavily laden with the meat of two bullocks, that I found it rather difficult to carry the additional meat of the emus. We, however, divided every emu into four parts--the chest, the rump, and the two thighs--and suspended each of the latter to one of the four hooks of a packsaddle; the remaining parts were carried on our horses. We travelled about eight miles north-north-west, over a succession of plains, interrupted by some watercourses, and a good sized creek. At the end of the day's stage, we found a small pool of water in a little creek which we had followed down. According to Charley's account, salt-water existed a mile lower down. Though our arrival at the camp was very late, we set immediately to work, and cut up the four emus, which I put on ropes and branches to dry. Fortunately, a cold dry south-east wind set in, which very much assisted us in the operation of drying. The sea breeze was strong, as usual, during the day; clouds gathered very suddenly about 11 o'clock, P. M. to the southward and south-east, and rose very quickly with a strong south-east wind; they passed as quickly as they came; when the wind ceased. Another mass of clouds formed, and rose quite as suddenly, and, having passed, the sky became quite clear, and a cold strong wind set in from the south-east, which lasted for the next two days, and rendered the nights of the 16th and 17th August cold, dry, and dewless.