which, on the 23d July, I had a view
of the mountains to the eastward. Then descending, we came upon plains of
firm clay, whereon grew some trees of ACACIA PENDULA. The rock in the
hills seemed calcarious, and on a detached slab of ferruginous sandstone,
I saw a more perfect specimen of ripple marks than I had ever seen
elsewhere, except on the sea-beach.

I had now an opportunity of observing, in the hills forming a low range
on my right, or to the westward, that their stratification dipped toward
the east, at an angle of about 25 deg. with the horizon; on which side those
slopes did not exceed that angle, whereas on the westward, they presented
abrupt, precipitous sides, each terminating in two steep sides, forming
an angle at the highest point. We encamped on a fine plain on the east
side of that range, but westward of the river (beyond which lay our
former route), and we found water in a lagoon a quarter of a mile
eastward of our camp; also, in a mountain rivulet two miles south of the
camp, coming from near Mount Beaufort, and some, very clear, was found in
a rocky gully immediately westward of our camp. Still, the bed of the
main channel was dry, and we had been obliged to seek for the water
before it was found in these several directions. Thermometer, at sunrise,
41 deg.; at noon, 79; at 4 P.M., 82 deg.; at 9, 48 deg.;--with wet bulb 39 deg..

28TH AUGUST.--The cattle were well refreshed by the grass on the plain: a
fresh growth was now apparent in it. We continued to travel due southward
over the plain, and through a brigalow scrub beyond it, until we crossed,
for the last time, the little river that had led us so far astray. Just
beyond it, we joined our old track, at about five miles short of Camp
LIII., to which we proceeded, and where we again encamped, although the
pond we formerly found there had dried up. We afterwards found a good
supply, at a lagoon about half a mile lower down; from which a little dog
of mine (called Procyon), had come out wet, and so made it known to us.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 40 deg.; at noon, 81 deg.; at 4 P.M., 76 deg.; at 9, 49 deg.;--
with wet bulb, 41 deg..

29TH AUGUST.--Continuing along the old track, we this day quitted the
basin of the Belyando, and ascended those grassy slopes, and that range,
which I had formerly taken to be the water-shed of the coast rivers. We
thus crossed to the basin of another eastern river, the Nog; and, in
quitting that of the Belyando, I have