covered a large lake on our left: it was nearly circular,
about half a mile in circumference and surrounded by high firm banks from
which there was no visible outlet; I named it Lake Nivelle. At a few
miles beyond this lake the cheering sight of an open country extending to
the horizon first appeared through the trees; and we soon entered on
these fine downs where the gently undulating surface was firm under our
horses' feet and thickly clothed with excellent grass.

MOUNT STURGEON.

The cartwheels trundled merrily along, so that twelve miles were
accomplished soon after midday, and we encamped near the extreme southern
point of the Grampians, which I named Mount Sturgeon. The weather was
very wet but this troubled us the less as we had not known a day without
rain for several months.

ASCEND MOUNT ABRUPT.

September 14.

I was most anxious to ascend Mount Abrupt, the first peak to the
northward of Mount Sturgeon, that I might close my survey of these
mountains and also reconnoitre the country before us. This morning clouds
hung upon the mountains however, and I could scarcely indulge a hope that
the weather would be favourable for the purposed survey; nevertheless I
bent my steps towards the mountain, having first set the carpenter to
work to make an additional width of felloe to the narrow wheels of one of
the carts, that it might pass with less difficulty over soft ground. We
soon came to a deep stream flowing not FROM but apparently TOWARDS the
mountains; its general course being westward. It was so deep that our
horses could scarcely ford it without swimming. Reeds grew about and the
bottom was soft, although two kinds of rock appeared in its banks. On the
right was trap, on the left the ferruginous sandstone of which all these
mountains consist. We soon entered on the barren and sandy but firm
ground at their base which, with its peculiar trees and shrubs, appeared
so different from the grassy plains. The banksia, the casuarina, and the
hardy xanthorrhoea reminded us of former toils on the opposite side of
these ranges.

VIEW OF THE GRAMPIANS FROM THE SUMMIT.

The weather turned out better than I had expected, and from the summit of
Mount Abrupt I beheld a truly sublime scene; the whole of the mountains,
quite clear of clouds, the grand outline of the more distant masses
blended with the sky, and forming a blue and purple background for the
numerous peaks of the range on which I stood, which consisted of s