t, a winter night on a lofty mountain, without fire, amidst
frost-covered rocks and clouds of sleet. I shall long remember the
pleasure of those moments of repose which I enjoyed on my arrival in the
warm valley after such a night. We could afford no longer delay however,
having brought provisions only for one day with us, whereas this was the
morning of the third of our absence from the camp. Retracing our steps we
reached the little river only at eight in the evening and, as I hoped to
find a ford in it at daylight, we lay down on its bank for the night.

NIGHT'S REST.

July 16.

I slept on a snug bit of turf within two feet of the stream; so that the
welcome murmur of its rippling waters assisted my dreams of undiscovered
rivers. As soon as morning dawned I succeeded in finding a ford on that
branch across which we swam our horses on the 13th. We thus met with less
cause of delay and reached the camp at an early hour, with excellent
appetites for breakfast.

NATIVES AT THE CAMP DURING MY ABSENCE.

Two natives had visited the party during my absence and had slept by the
fires. They had been at cattle stations and could say "milk." They
consequently approached our camp boldly, and during the night showed much
restlessness, endeavouring to decoy the gins away with them. But The
Widow gave the alarm, and very properly handed over these insidious
wooers to the especial surveillance of the man on duty. Notwithstanding
they were vigilantly watched they contrived to steal a tomahawk, and went
off leaving their wooden shovels at our camp, saying they should return.
I had now several men on the sicklist, but under the treatment of
Drysdale, our medical attendant, they speedily recovered.

CHAPTER 3.9.

Plains of stiff clay.
The Wimmera.
Difficult passage of its five branches.
Ascend Mount Zero.
Circular lake, brackish water.
The Wimmera in a united channel.
Lose this river.
Ascend Mount Arapiles.
Mr. Stapylton's excursion northward.
Salt lakes.
Green Hill lake.
Mitre lake.
Relinquish the pursuit of the Wimmera.
The party travels to the south-west.
Red lake.
Small lakes of fresh water.
White lake.
Basketwork of the natives.
Muddy state of the surface.
Mr. Stapylton's ride southward.
Disastrous encounter of one man with a native.
A tribe makes its appearance.
More lakes of brackish water.
Escape at last from the mud.
Encamp on a running stream.
Fine country.
Discovery of a good river.
Granitic soil.
P