party moved forward in the direction of Mount Hope and, leaving it on
the left, we continued towards Pyramid Hill where we encamped at about
three-quarters of a mile from its base. We were under no restraint now in
selecting a camp from any scarcity of water or grass; for all hollows in
the plains contained some water and grass grew everywhere. The strips of
wood which diversified the country as seen from the hills generally
enclosed a depression with polygonum bushes, but without any marks of
having had any water in them although, in very wet seasons, some probably
lodges there, as in so many canals, and this indeed seemed to me to be a
country where canals would answer well, not so much perhaps for inland
navigation as for the better distribution of water over a fertile country
enclosed as this is by copious rivers.

PYRAMID HILL.

June 30.

Having seen the party on the way and directed it to proceed on a bearing
of 215 degrees from North I ascended the rocky pyramidic hill, which I
found arose to the height of 300 feet above the plain.

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SEEN FROM IT.

Its apex consisted of a single block of granite, and the view was
exceedingly beautiful over the surrounding plains, shining fresh and
green in the light of a fine morning. The scene was different from
anything I had ever before witnessed either in New South Wales or
elsewhere. A land so inviting and still without inhabitants! As I stood,
the first European intruder on the sublime solitude of these verdant
plains as yet untouched by flocks or herds, I felt conscious of being the
harbinger of mighty changes; and that our steps would soon be followed by
the men and the animals for which it seemed to have been prepared. A
haziness in the air prevented me however from perceiving clearly the
distant horizon from that summit, but I saw and intersected those
mountains to the southward which I had observed from Mount Hope.

The progress of the party was still visible from that hill, pursuing
their course over the distant plains like a solitary line of ants. I
overtook it when a good many miles on; and we encamped after travelling
upwards of fourteen miles in one uninterrupted straight line. Our camp
was chosen on the skirts of a forest of box, having a plain on the east
covered with rich grass, and where we found some small pools of
rainwater.

July 1.

Proceeding still on the bearing followed yesterday we reached at three
miles from our camp a fine