ver, at this time about the same, although none of the tributaries,
including the Roderick and Impey, had been in flood, little or no rain
having fallen to the west of the 117th degree of longitude, except to the
north of latitude 26 degrees.

I availed myself of the opportunity afforded to make several additions
and corrections to the map of this part of the country, verifying the
correction made by me last year in the latitude of Mount Murchison and
adjacent hills. By an improved series of triangulation and a carefully
observed set of lunar distances, I am inclined to place Mount Murchison
in about longitude 116 degrees 30 minutes east, which makes it more
nearly approximate to the longitude formerly given by Mr. Austin.

The variation of the compass I found by several amplitudes to be 2
degrees 30 minutes west. The bed of the Murchison River is here about
1,077 feet above the sea. In addition to the fish and game formerly
observed on this part of the river, we met with large flocks of the
gallinule, which have for so many years excited the curiosity of the
colonists as to their habitat; from subsequent observations it is evident
they come from much further to the north-eastward. But one party of
natives had as yet been seen, consisting of eight or ten, who chased our
native Dugel to the camp while out shooting, but it was difficult to
ascertain whether with hostile intentions. From this time to our return
we regularly mounted sentry during the night, and no one was allowed to
quit the party any distance alone--a precautionary measure the necessity
of which was fully borne out by the sequel.

26th April.

From our camp, which was situated about eight miles west of Mount
Murchison, we fairly commenced the exploration of unknown country.
Following the river nearly north-north-east for fourteen miles it turned
abruptly to the east; we, however, held our course, which at four miles
further brought us to the foot of Mount Narryer, which we ascended, and
procured a valuable round of angles from its summit. This hill has an
altitude of 1,688 feet above the sea, and is formed by the eruption of a
coarse dark-coloured crystalline trap through a base of amorphous
sandstone, the direction of the range of which it forms a part being
nearly north and south. Skirting round the north end of this range, we
struck east over a stony plain, thinly grassed amongst open wattles, and
at five miles again came upon the Murchison some time