hed through them somewhere to our left; and,
bold as the range was, still we could see no better promise of water than
what this seemed to afford.

VIEW TOWARDS MOUNT GRANARD.

The summit up which we forced our horses over very sharp rocks commanded
a most extensive and magnificent view of hills, both eastward and
westward. The country in the north, whence we had come, was nevertheless
higher, although the horizon there was unbroken. Southward the general
line of horizon was a low level on which the hills terminated, as if it
had been the sea. There, I had no doubt, flowed the river Lachlan, and,
probably, one of the highest of the hills was Mount Granard of Oxley.
Towards the east the most elevated hill bore 142 degrees 30 minutes from
North, and was at a distance of about 12 miles. It was a remarkable mass
of yellow rock, naked and herbless, as if nature there had not yet
finished her work. That hill had an isolated appearance; others to the
westward were pointed, and smoke arose from almost every summit, even
from the highest part of the mass on which we stood. Some sharp-edged
rocks prevented us from riding to where the smoke appeared, and I was too
lame to go on foot. No natives were visible, and I could not comprehend
what they could be all about on the various rugged summits whence smoke
arose; as these people rather frequent valleys and the vicinity of ponds
of water. The region I now overlooked was beautifully diversified with
hill and dale, still I could not discover much promise of water; but as
smoke ascended from one flat to the westward I conjectured that we might
there find a pool, but it was too far distant to be then of use to us.
The general direction of hills appeared to be 318 degrees from north;
that of the continuation westward of the flat higher land, North 343
degrees. A broad and extensive smoke was rising from the country where we
had slept and towards which I was about to return by a direct course from
this hill (North 56 degrees East).

A SECOND NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.

Accordingly we travelled until night overtook us in an extensive
casuarina scrub, where we tied our horses, and made our fire, after a
ride of at least 40 miles.

AWOKE BY THE FOREST ON FIRE.

During the night we were made aware, by the crackling of falling timber,
that a conflagration was approaching, and one of us by turns watched,
while the others slept with their arms at hand. The state of our horses,
from want of wate