lso traces of casts of Spirifers, one of which is
near to S. Pisum of the Wenlock rocks. (Silur. Syst. pl. xiii. f. 9).

The description here given is deduced from the natural appearances
under the lens, and not from artificial or regular sections. But
the specimen admits of a partial substitute for this; for the surface
is worn down and roughly polished, as is the case with all the exposed
surfaces of ancient limestones in Australia; the result probably of the
acidulous properties of rain water, or of the atmosphere, which, in a
tropical climate, where violent showers alternate with great drought, is
capable of producing various sensible changes in rocks in a long series
of ages. Many rocks of limestone in New South Wales, even harder than the
Burdekin marble, are actually grooved in short parallel furrows, over
wide surfaces, and along their sides, by some similar agency.]

CHAPTER VIII

BROWN AND CHARLEY QUARREL--NIGHT WATCH--ROUTINE OF OUR DAILY LIFE, AND
HABITS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY--MOUNT LANG--STREAMS OF LAVA--A HORSE
BREAKS HIS LEG, IS KILLED AND EATEN--NATIVE TRIBE--MR. ROPER'S
ACCIDENT--WHITSUNDAY--BIG ANT HILL CREEK--DEPRIVED OF WATER FOR FIFTY
HOURS--FRIENDLY NATIVES--SEPARATION CREEK--THE LYND--PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF A SOJOURN IN THE WILDERNESS--NATIVE CAMP--SALT EXHAUSTED.

May 1.--We travelled west by north, to latitude 18 degrees 55 minutes 41
seconds, over almost a dead flat, which was only interrupted by a fine
Casuarina creek, with a broad sandy bed, coming from the
south-south-west. The soil was stiff, and the forest in which the Box
tree prevailed, was very open. A species of Acacia, with narrow blunt
phyllodia, about an inch long, with spinous stipules; Hakea lorea, and
the Grevillea mimosoides (R. Br.), with very long linear leaves, were
frequent. Towards the end of the journey, slight ridges, composed of
flint rock, rose on our left; and the country became more undulating. Mr.
Roper saw extensive ranges about fifteen miles distant; shortly before
entering the camp, we passed a singularly broken country, in which the
waters rushing down from a slightly inclined table land, had hollowed out
large broad gullies in a sandy loam and iron ochre, which was full of
quartz pebbles. The heavier masses had resisted the action of the waters,
and remained like little peaks and islands, when the softer materials
around them had been washed away. We met with grass lately burnt, and
some s