e to seven in breadth, and although large masses of sandstone
are scattered over them, a blue secondary limestone composes the
general bed of the river, that was darker in colour and more compact
than I had remarked the same kind of rock, either at Wellington Valley,
or in the Shoal Haven Gully. I have no doubt that Yass Plains will ere
long be wholly taken up as sheep-walks, and that their value to the
grazier will in a great measure counterbalance its distance from the
coast, or, more properly speaking, from the capital. Sheep I should
imagine would thrive uncommonly well upon these plains, and would
suffer less from distempers incidental to locality and to climate, than
in many parts of the colony over which they are now wandering in
thousands. And if the plains themselves do not afford extensive arable
tracts, there is, at least, sufficient good land near the river to
supply the wants of a numerous body of settlers.

HOSPITALITY OF MR. O'BRIEN.

We left Mr. O'Brien's station on the morning of the 21st, and,
agreeably to his advice, determined on gaining the Morumbidgee, by a
circuit to the N.W., rather than endanger the safety of the drays by
entering the mountain passes to the westward. Mr. O'Brien, however,
would not permit us to depart from his dwelling without taking away
with us some further proofs of his hospitality. The party had pushed
forward before I, or Mr. M'Leay, had mounted our horses; but on
overtaking it, we found that eight fine wethers had been added to our
stock of animals.

HILL OF POUNI; ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY.

To the W.N.W. of Yass Plains there is a remarkable hill, called Pouni,
remarkable not so much on account of its height, as of its commanding
position. It had, I believe, already been ascended by one of the
Surveyor-general's assistants. The impracticability of the country to
the south of it, obliged us to pass under its opposite base, from which
an open forest country extended to the northward. We had already
recrossed the Yass River, and passed Mr. Barber's station, to that of
Mr. Hume's father, at which we stopped for a short time. Both farms are
well situated, the latter I should say, romantically so, it being
immediately under Pouni, the hill we have noticed. The country around
both was open, and both pasture and water were abundant.

Mr. O'Brien had been kind enough to send one of the natives who
frequented his station to escort us to his more advanced station upon
the Morumbid