s distant from
the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt
water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the
surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great
extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations;
and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of
this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the
compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E.

October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring,
situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of
water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton,
Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards
of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the
latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably
in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay
under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around
the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between
it and the sea was high and very rocky.

After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills
but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a
stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by
digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around
was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing
strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large
wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole
fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in
some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some
other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole
region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect.

October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather
better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from
five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low
level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the
eastward of us.

I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the
midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but
having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to
push on for tw