nd
in the sea. It was flat-topped, with a few trees on the summit. The
uncommon tree was covered with a yellow blossom, the leaf was dark green
and shining, and the wood was white.* The low country, which seemed most
to promise water, was still distant, while the course of the Namoi was
receding from our route as I had reason to believe from the position of
the low ridge which I had crossed. An opening in the distance westward
seemed to mark its course.

(*Footnote. See the Journal of my next Journey Chapter 2.8.)

WATER SCARCE.

I was still disposed to pursue a middle direction between the mountains
and the river (35 degrees West of North) but I bore in mind the necessity
for turning these ranges, so as to pass into that part of the country
beyond them at which we should have arrived if we had crossed them where
we first attempted, in order to determine the question as to the
existence of the large river there, as stated by The Barber.

PROVIDENTIAL SUPPLY.

A rather elevated but grassy plain afforded little prospect of water
being near at the time we were about to halt and rest, after a long
journey, and I had directed the men to pitch the tents, despairing of
reaching water that day, when I suddenly came upon a deep pool. I was
truly sensible of the goodness of Providence, considering that this was
to all appearance the only water within many miles, and on a plain where
I had no reason to expect it. I could not then see how the pond was
supplied.

CRAYFISH.

Neither was this all our good fortune, for having directed Jones (one of
the men ablest at fishing) to try the pond, to the no small amusement of
the others; he nevertheless drew out in a short time a good dish of
crayfish (or lobsters, as they termed them). We had also killed a
kangaroo that morning, which enabled us to feed our famished dogs, so
that our entry on this new region could not have been more auspicious.

TRAP-HILL ON PLAINS.

In the afternoon I walked to the isolated hill of the plain, and found
that it consisted of trap-rock, a solid mass projecting from the earth,
with little or no soil upon it. Its greater elongation extended due north
and south, conformable to the direction of most of the other summits I
had ascended. The steepest side was towards the east, and its height was
50 feet above the plain. From this hill I perceived another like it, due
south, and distant about half a mile.

The dead silence of the solitary plains around