When we reached again the mangrove flats a most amusing scene commenced; wading through the mud was bad enough before, but now that each man had a heavy keg of water upon his shoulders the movements became truly ludicrous, more especially as both landsmen and sailors were equally out of their element. Each desperate plunge elicited from the sufferers oaths and expressions which only those who have seen sailors completely at a nonplus on shore can conceive. They were half humorous, half pathetic, and never did I see men more thoroughly woebegone and bedaubed with mud than the party when we made the boats again. Those whom I had left behind now greedily drank the water of which they were so much in want, and, as it was necessary to complete our stock of it here, after we had dined I despatched all hands but Mr. Smith and one man back to the lagoon. Mr. Smith was too unwell to go again and I remained with him. This party took their rations with them as they were to remain by the lagoon all night in order, as they termed it, "to have a good bouse out of water, and a good wash," and were to return to the boats as soon after daylight as possible. We had remarked tracks of natives on shore but, as I saw by their fires that they were now at least eight or ten miles from us, I was under no apprehension of an attack from them. The mosquitoes however threatened to be very troublesome, and when I say that just about sunset we were completely blackened from the numbers that covered us I do not in the least exaggerate; we could not make a fire to keep them away, and I therefore quietly resigned myself to my fate. Poor Smith, who was already very feverish, passed a night of perfect torment, and awoke in the morning seriously ill. We soon heard the voices of the party returning and, having helped them and their loads of water out of the mud, we returned down the creek. COAST THE LAND TO THE NORTHWARD. March 5. On standing out there was a fresh breeze blowing from the south-east, and when we were about half a mile from the shore the water to the northward deepened a great deal, for although it was now nearly low tide we had here two and a half fathoms with sandy bottom. All along the shoals we had met with abundance of shell and other fish, and the pearl oyster was very abundant; indeed the shellfish along these banks were more numerous and varied than I had ever before found them. I saw but few shells which I recognised as belonging to the southern portions of Australia, whilst many were identical with those which occur to the north-west. EXAMINE ANOTHER MANGROVE CREEK. CHARACTER OF THEIR SCENERY.