route was, to enter the little river that turned
to the south-west (as I had found it did, on the 20th,) and to travel
along its valley upwards, until I reached the pond near which I had
bivouacked on the 25th. This we accomplished most successfully before
sunset, encamping beside the large pond already mentioned, near which
were two others. The earth by the margin was so soft that neither the
horses nor bullocks could approach the water; they could only be watered
out of buckets; but the water was excellent, and water of any quality, in
abundance too, was to us rather uncommon good fortune, and quite
cheering, even when surrounded by soft mud. Thermometer, at sunrise, 14 deg.;
at noon, 48 deg.; at 4 P. M. 47 deg.; at 9, 37 deg..

27TH JUNE. We had next to trace up a grassy valley which seemed to come
directly from the vicinity of that in which I had found water and
bivouacked on the 24th. It formed an excellent line, and we found it
possible to keep this fine firm level surface, until we had approached to
within two miles of that spot. Leaving a little hill of trap to the left,
and some brigalow scrub on the right, we reached the old ground and
encamped. The small ponds had evaporated, but, in the frosty night, the
cattle were not likely to require water, as they had been watered on the
way, about 3 P. M., at a rocky well in the valley. We had now traced with
our wheels, a good way through a country much broken and shut up by
sandstone gullies; but which contained also many rich valleys, and
extensive hilly tracts of trap rock, on which the grass was very
luxuriant, apparently available for either sheep or cattle. Immediately
to the westward of this camp (marked XXXVIII.) an extensive valley was
bounded by the fine trap range of Hope's Table Land; which range was open
along the summit, and contained springs, in various ravines along its
sides. In these ravines, we first saw the arborescent Zamia, and various
remarkable shrubs; the MYOPORUM CUNNINGHAMII of Swan River, forming a
shrub six feet high, with white fragrant flowers. Thermometer, at
sunrise, 20 deg.; at 9 P. M., 29 deg.. Height above the sea, 2064 feet.

28TH JUNE.--Severe frost whenever the sky was clear, seemed the ordinary
weather of that country, at that season; showing, as the barometer also
indicated, that we were at a great height above the sea. I sent the party
forward, guided by Yuranigh, along my former track, to the ponds in the
newly discovered cha