assage of the Glenelg.
Country well watered.
Pigeon ponds.
Soft soil again impedes the party.
Halt to repair the carts and harness.
Natives very shy.
Chetwynd rivulet.
Slow progress over the soft surface.
Excursion into the country before us.
Beautiful region discovered.
The party extricated with difficulty from the mud.

PLAINS OF STIFF CLAY.

July 17.

The ground on the sides of the low hills was still so soft (and in this
respect I had found the country we had lately crossed even worse than
that previously traversed by the carts) that the only prospect which
remained to us of being able to continue the journey was by proceeding
over the plains extending along the interior side of the Grampians of the
South. The soil of such plains consisted chiefly of clay, and we had
recently found that it bore the wheels of the waggons much better during
the winter season than the thin and loose soil on the sides of hills;
apparently because this lay on rock, or a substratum so tenacious as to
support the water in or just under the surface. The wheels and also the
feet of the cattle sunk at once to this rocky subsoil whatever its depth,
and up came the water, so that on level parts our track resembled a ditch
of mud and water, and on slopes it formed a current of water and a drain
from the sides of hills. I had observed the plains during my
reconnaissance of the interior from the side of Mount William, and I now
directed our course towards them. We crossed without difficulty the
little river by the passage Mr. Stapylton had prepared during my absence
and, after travelling about four miles first west and then north-west, we
came upon an extensive plain. The soil consisted of good strong clay on
which the cattle travelled very well, and it was covered with the best
kind of grass. On reaching it I resumed my former course which was nearly
west-south-west towards Mount Zero, a name I applied to a remarkable cone
at the western extremity of the chain of mountains. After travelling 2
1/2 miles over the plain we again reached the banks of Richardson's
creek, and forded it after some delay and considerable difficulty on
account of the softness of the bottom. We next entered on a tract of
grassy forest land, the trees being chiefly box and casuarinae. At 2 1/2
miles beyond Richardson's creek we crossed a small run of water flowing
west-north-west, apparently towards it. After passing over similar ground
for some miles further and ha