mbals* (85 degrees 45
minutes). On returning I rode down the valley towards the south-east
where I met Mr. Cunningham who had found a good waterhole (apparently at
a spring) with a large rock in the centre. I accordingly conducted the
party to it, and we encamped about four P.M. Here we were joined by
Charles King, a men whose services I had taken some trouble to obtain,
and who gave me now a proof of his strength and fitness for such an
undertaking by coming from Emu plains, distant 145 miles, in little more
than two days. For this man I was indebted to Sir John Jamieson. The
above feat I thought deserved to be recorded, and I therefore gave his
name to the watercourse on which we had encamped. The party was now
complete, and I was glad to find that Dr. Souter, no longer a new chum,
was the best of good fellows with the other men. He had brought a flute
on which he played tolerably well, either after the acquisition of a
kangaroo, or when we had good water, or during any very serene evening.

(*Footnote. For an account of Wellington Valley near the Coutombals see
Appendix 2.4 to Volume 2.)

CROSS HERVEY'S RANGE.

April 9.

As usual I proceeded some way in advance, marking the line of trees to be
followed by the party, and I was fortunate in finding an easier ascent
for our wheel carriages to the range before us than I had expected. On
descending the opposite side we entered a fine valley, well watered; and
which, had we known the country better, we might have reached on the
previous evening. We next travelled over fine forest land, and by keeping
some rocky hills, consisting of trap, on our right, we headed the deep
ravines and bold ranges which appeared to branch from them to the
northward. Thus we journeyed along very good ground, the slopes being
easy and unimpeded by timber.

FIRST VIEW OF THE INTERIOR.

At one o'clock I ascended a pic and obtained, for the first time since I
approached these ranges, an uninterrupted view of the country to the
westward of them. From this point I recognised several other hills
observed from the Canobolas, some of which did not appear very distant. A
square-topped eminence bearing west-south-west a great way off I supposed
might be Mount Granard; and a few other heights more to the westward
crowned what had hitherto appeared to be a flat horizon. I began to
discover however that, although apparently flat, this horizon consisted
of low ridges intersected by valleys, and I hoped