however, remain in that quarter long, but backed
at noon to the S.W., so that we were enabled to make a good day's
journey, and rather gained than lost ground.

REMARKABLE CLIFF--GEOLOGICAL REMARKS.

Having left the undulating hills, at the mouth of the valley behind us,
we passed cliff after cliff of fossil formation: they had a uniform
appearance as to the substance of which they were composed, and varied
but little in colour. Having already examined them, we thought it
unnecessary to give them any further special attention, since it was
improbable we should find anything new. In turning an angle of the
river, however, a broad reach stretched away before us. An alluvial
flat extended to our left, and a high line of cliffs, that differed in
no visible respect from those we had already passed, rose over the
opposite side of the river. The cliffs faced the W.N.W., and as the sun
declined, his beams struck full upon them. As we shot past, we were
quite dazzled with the burst of light that flashed upon us, and which
gave to the whole face of the cliff the appearance of a splendid
mirror. The effect was of course momentary; for as soon as we had
passed the angle of refraction, there was nothing unusual in its
appearance. On a nearer approach, however, it appeared again as if
studded with stars. We had already determined on examining it more
closely, and this second peculiarity still further excited our
curiosity. On landing, we found the whole cliff to be a mass of
selenite, in which the various shells already noticed were plentifully
embedded, as in ice. The features of the cliff differed from any we had
previously remarked. Large masses, or blocks of square or oblong shape,
had fallen to its base, and its surface was hard, whereas the face of
the majority of the other cliffs was soft from the effect of the
atmosphere; and the rock was entirely free from every other substance,
excepting the shells of which it was composed. We of course collected
some good specimens, although they added very considerably to the
weight of our cargo.

The morning of the 18th was calm and cloudless. The wind, of which
there was but little, came from the north, and was as usual warm. We
availed ourselves of a favourable spot to haul our boat on shore under
one of the cliffs upon the proper left of the river, and cleaned her
well both inside and out.

LABORIOUS ASCENT OF THE BOAT.

The breezes that had so much assisted as from the lake upw