arge
fragments of rock. As soon as the morning dawned, the tents were struck
and we pursued our journey. We followed the line of the river, until we
found ourselves in a deep bight to the S.E. The hills that had been
gradually closing in upon the river, now approached it so nearly, that
there was no room for the passage of the drays. We were consequently
obliged to turn back, and, moving along the base of the ranges, by
which we were thus apparently enclosed, we at length found a steep
pass, the extreme narrowness of which had hidden it from our
observation. By this pass we were now enabled to effect our escape. On
gaining the summit of the hills, we travelled south for three or four
miles, through open forests, and on level ground. But we ultimately
descended into a valley in which we halted for the night. On a closer
examination of the neighbourhood, it appeared that our position was at
the immediate junction of two valleys, where, uniting the waters of
their respective creeks, the main branch declines rapidly towards the
river. One of these valleys extended to to the S.W., the other to the
W.N.W. It was evident to us that our route lay up the former; and I
made no doubt we should easily reach Whaby's station on the morrow.

ADJACENT COUNTRY.

We were now far beyond the acknowledged limits of the located parts of
the colony, and Mr. Whaby's station was the last at which we could
expect even the casual supply of milk or other trifling relief. Yet,
although the prospect of so soon leaving even the outskirts of
civilization, and being wholly thrown on our own resources, was so
near, it never for a moment weighed upon the minds of the men. The
novelty of the scenery, and the beauty of the river on which they were
journeying, excited in them the liveliest anticipations of success. The
facility with which we had hitherto pushed forward blinded them to
future difficulties, nor could there be a more cheerful spectacle than
that which the camp daily afforded. The animals browzing in the
distance, and the men talking over their pipes of the probable
adventures they might encounter. The loads had by this time settled
properly, and our provisions proved of the very best quality, so that
no possible improvement could have been made for the better.

WHABY'S STATION.

On the morrow we pushed up the southernmost of the valleys, at the
junction of which we had encamped, having moderate hills on either side
of us. At the head of t