South by West
direction. Everything wore a green and most delightful appearance; but
the reader must bear in mind, how vegetation had just been forced by
heavy rains upon a light, heated soil, and also recollect that to one who
has been pent up for some time on board ship a very barren prospect may
seem delightful.

NATIVE FIRES.

The country was more open in character than I had before noticed it, and
the numerous traces of native fires which we found in the course of the
excursion, seemed readily to account for this: indeed during dry seasons
it not unfrequently happens, that an immense tract of land is desolated
with fire, communicated, either by the design or carelessness of the
natives, to the dry herbage on the surface. The moment the flame has been
kindled it only waits for the first breath of air to spread it far and
wide: then on the wings of the wind, the fiery tempest streams over the
hillsides and through the vast plains and prairies: bushwood and
herbage--the dry grass--the tall reed--the twining parasite--or the giant
of the forest, charred and blackened, but still proudly erect--alike
attest and bewail the conquering fire's onward march; and the bleak
desert, silent, waste, and lifeless, which it leaves behind seems forever
doomed to desolation: vain fear! the rain descends once more upon the dry
and thirsty soil, and from that very hour which seemed the date of
cureless ruin, Nature puts forth her wondrous power with increased
effort, and again her green and flower-embroidered mantle decks the earth
with a new beauty!

SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.

The soil of the extensive plain over which we journeyed this day, was
light and sandy in character, but the large amount of vegetable matter
which it contains, and the effect of the late rains, which had penetrated
some 24 or 30 inches into it, made us perhaps somewhat overvalue its real
merits. This plain rose gradually before us until it reached an elevation
of 180 feet above the level of the sea, and was covered with a long, thin
grass, through which the startled kangaroo made off every now and then at
a killing pace.

The face of the country was well but not too closely covered with
specimens of the red and white gum, and paperbark tree, and several
others. The timber was but small, the diameter of the largest, a red gum,
18 inches.

Ever and anon the sparkling brilliant lizards darted down from their
resting places among the boughs, so rapid in their fe