water,
and having hobbled the former, we made ourselves a small hut with
saplings, and covered it with a small tarpaulin. We divided the night
watch into three parts, being four hours each.

August 5.

We mustered the horses morning and evening, and drove the sheep close to
the fire, having one of our kangaroo dogs chained up beside them, and the
other one with the sheep dog loose. We were apprehensive that the natives
might attack us.

August 6.

Shortly after we had mustered the cattle this morning, seven or eight
natives appeared at the edge of the scrub, in the direction from which we
had come. Just as they approached, an Australian magpie perched upon a
tree, and I shot it to show the effect of our firearms. On hearing the
report of the gun they all ran into the scrub, and we saw them no more.
On all occasions it was Mr. Kennedy's order--not to fire on the blacks,
unless they molested us. I was anxious on this occasion not to let the
natives know how few we were, and was glad to send them away in so quiet
a manner. One of our sheep died this day, and as we had lost several
before, and had but little to employ us, we opened it to see if we could
ascertain the cause of its death. We found its entrails full of water.
Our party was now divided into three bodies: Mr. Kennedy, Jackey, and
four others, clearing a way up the mountain; Niblett and three others
guarding the stores; whilst myself, Dunn, and Mitchell, had charge of the
sheep and horses. It was necessary, therefore, for us to keep a good
lookout, and two of us watched together.

August 7.

Early this morning a man came down to help us with the horses and sheep.
We loaded our horses, with the exception of one, which was too weak and
too much bruised from falling to travel. We turned him toward the open
ground, and having packed our horses went on till dark, when we tied our
horses to a tree and lay down for the night beside them, although it
rained all night. We had each of us a water can which held five pints,
which we filled, and our two water kegs, at the foot of the range,
fearing we might not find water in the journey over.

August 8.

At daylight we were afoot and breakfasted, and started immediately after.
We travelled up the hills all day, but made very little progress, owing
to the great labour of clearing, and the numerous steep ascents we met
with. We fortunately found water in a low place, and with difficulty
lighted a fire, everything be