y started off at full speed, in consequence
of a large stone rolled down by one of the party in ascending the hill.
Two of the remaining horses were immediately saddled, and Mr. Burges and
myself started to catch them; in about a mile we came up with them at the
foot of an almost perpendicular cliff; on seeing us they started off, and
scrambling up the rocks like goats, left us far behind; we did not
overtake them for several miles, when with some difficulty we captured
one, but had the mortification of losing one of the saddled horses in
exchange. Leaving the captured horse in charge of Mr. Burges, I followed
the rest; caught another after a smart ride of three miles, but it was
not till I reached the East Irwin that I could again overtake the rest,
when, favoured by the steep bank of the stream, I succeeded in securing
our truant steeds. It was now dark, and being unable to manage nine
horses by myself, I tethered several of the wildest, and started with two
of the best for the encampment ten miles distant, which, owing to the
nature of the country, I did not reach till midnight. Mr. Burges had
arrived about an hour previous with the horse first caught. Light showers
in the morning.

16th September.

Messrs. Bedart, C. Gregory, and J. Walcott started to bring in the
horses; the rest of the party was employed in repairing damages of the
harness, and at 3.0 p.m. the party returned with the horses. Slight
showers in the morning.

17th September (Sunday).

Light clouds from the south-west; thunder; rain in the evening. Read
prayers.

18th September.

Left the bivouac at 8.15 a.m., and followed upwards the main branch of
the Irwin to the north-north-east, through a steep and rocky valley, the
sandstone hills in some parts approaching the river, so as to render it
necessary to cross frequently with the pack-horses. The very level
character of the summits of these hills gives the country the appearance
of having been once a plain, through which the valley of the stream has
since been worn by the action of water; the upper stratum is a hard red
sandstone, resting on a softer rock of a sandy or clayey character,
beneath which the shales and rocks belonging to the coal formation show
themselves, lying in unconformable beds, and often at a very high angle.
At 9.25 the stream divided into two branches, that to the east being the
most considerable; at this spot the sandstone ceased, and we commenced
ascending the granite r