The _Mary Ann_ joined us on the Saturday evening, and both vessels remained stationary until Monday afternoon, September 19th, when the _Lady Augusta_ proceeded up the river, stopping about twelve miles from Swan Hill to take in some fuel. The country continued reedy and flooded; but the banks of the river were lined with gum trees. Our party, I should mention, has been diminished by one member, a Mr. Bright, who left us at Swan Hill to ride to Melbourne (210 miles), where he purposes taking passage to England. A few miles from Swan Hill, we observed several of the native turkey, or, more properly, the bustard; they are reckoned delicious eating, but are approached with difficulty on the open plains, where they love to feed. Birds are now more plentiful; and I should have said that three wild swans were seen near Swan Hill. Tuesday, September 20.—After wooding for two or three hours where we had anchored the previous night, we steamed on as usual; the river widening and presenting beautiful reaches overhung with trees,[20] whilst the continued volume of this noble river, at so great a distance from the sea, has surprised all on board. This morning, we passed a connecting offshoot, or, as it is termed here, “backwater” of the Loddon, which flows into the Murray, near Swan Hill. We are now cramped a little on board for walking room, the deck being too high for many to promenade upon at once, as it causes the vessel to heel over from too much of what is termed “top-hamper;” nevertheless—the weather continuing delightful, even for Australia—and no European climate can surpass, I believe, the Australian mornings or evenings, nor Naples itself, at times, equal the wondrous tints of the sky—all get on, to use an expressive word, “swimmingly,” though none seem to know as yet to what distance our exploration is to extend. On Tuesday evening, the 20th September, we reached the station of a Mr. Hogg, and made fast for the night. A Mr. Dickens, who presented a letter of introduction to His Excellency, joined us here. He was one of the _Melbourne_ steamer passengers, but appears to retain no ungrateful recollections of his detention at Lisbon.[21] The country through which we have passed is flat and reedy, but occasionally sprinkled with gum trees, and now and then offering glimpses of forest scenery of a more open kind than the dense forests which distinguish the lower part of the river.