though clothed with a fair supply of grass and with scattered flooded-gum
trees. At the foot of the eastern hills, however, deep holes existed in a
water-course, with black blocks of basalt heaped over each other, on
which the fig tree with its dark green foliage formed a shady bower, most
delightful during the heat of the day. The hills were composed of a
lamellar granite, approaching the stratified appearance of gneiss, but
the leaflets of mica, instead of forming continuous layers, were
scattered. The east side of the narrow watercourse was of primitive rock,
the west side basaltic. Having passed over the hills, I made the river at
their east side. Its banks were open for access as far as the primitive
rock extended, but another field of lava commenced higher up, and
rendered any progress with our cattle impossible.

A native low shrubby Mulberry was found in this scrub, the fruit of which
was good to eat, but of very small size.

From the top of the hills I enjoyed a most beautiful view of the valley
of the river, with its large lagoons covered with Nymphaeas and
Damasoniums. On one of the lagoons, Charley shot a Parra gallinacea, a
bird which Mr. Gilbert had observed only at Port Essington. A well beaten
path of the natives showed that they were numerous in this part of the
country: we saw many of their camping places during the stage; and the
fires of their camps were numerous; we saw a party of them, but they were
too frightened to allow us to approach. Our latitude was 18 degrees 44
minutes 48 seconds. Our course was about N.N.W.

May 4.--We ascended the basaltic ridges, and reaching the table land,
found it perfectly level, openly timbered, well grassed, but occasionally
stony, by which our poor foot-sore bullocks suffered severely. About five
miles north-west by west from our camp, we discovered an extensive valley
with large lagoons and lakes, and a most luxuriant vegetation, bounded by
blue distant ranges, and forming the most picturesque landscape we had
yet met with. A chain of lagoons connected by a reedy brook followed the
outlines of the table land, along the foot of its steep slopes. We
descended by a tolerably gentle slope into the valley, and encamped near
the reedy brook, which must be the same as that on which, lower down, our
last camp was formed. Water, grass, hills, mountains, plains, forest
land; all the elements of a fine pasturing country, were here united.

During one of the last stages, w