I was sufficiently fortunate to shoot a hawk just before nightfall, and we then halted by the side of the river, lighted our fires, and laid down to sleep.
April 15.
In the course of the night I had cooked the hawk which I shot yesterday and before starting divided it as follows: I gave the head, entrails, and shanks to the native; then cutting the residue in half I gave one part to Hackney, who had so generously shared his morsel of damper with me, and kept the remaining portion for myself.

Poor Hackney's wan and wasted countenance glowed with pleasure when this acceptable gift was placed in his hands, and I felt no slight degree of satisfaction in having an opportunity of showing him that I felt grateful for his act of generosity to me.
We now followed the course of the river for about two miles further and saw a considerable quantity of good land along its banks, clothed with feed for stock; but I cannot tell how far back this extends.
The river now ran away nearly due west under a low range of hills; and still adhering to my original plan I quitted its banks and continued my course straight for Perth, travelling in a south by east direction.

The next two and a half miles led us to the top of a low range.

The whole tract of country between this point and the river was arid and barren in the extreme, being devoid of all vegetation but a stunted prickly scrub, and on it we saw no signs either of animal life or water.

We here for the first time since quitting Moresby's Flat-topped Range saw that the one to the east of us became well wooded, the interval between these two points having been completely bare of trees.
BARREN COUNTRY.
I now halted for about an hour and a half to rest the wearied men, and then again commenced our route over this barren waste.