y west over open ground skirted on the south by gentle
eminences of red earth. There plains of soft naked soil were most
distressing to the bullocks, and even to horses and men on foot; in the
general direction of the river these plains extended to the horizon, but
the southern boundary of small hills was a peculiar feature, not observed
higher up. Though the base of these eminences consisted of fine blue
clay, yet their tops were so sandy and soft that the carts sank deeper
than on the plains. It was my study to keep along the side of these hills
as much as my route would permit; for in general the best line for
travelling through the valley of the Darling is along the edging of stiff
clay always to be found near the base of the red sandhills, which form
the limits of those softer plains that usually extend for several miles
back from the river.

MACCULLOCH'S RANGE.

On ascending the highest of the hills on my left I discovered that the
ground to the southward was much more broken, and the appearance of a
valley between me and a range which I named after Dr. Macculloch raised
my hopes of finding some change in the country. On ascending however
another eminence to the right, I perceived the summit of a hill which
bore west-north-west, and rather discouraged my hopes respecting the
river, for I had assumed that its new direction towards the westward
would continue. We crossed the hill and encamped about two miles to the
southward of a bend of the river. Here there was a fall of about four
feet over masses of ferruginous clay with selenites embedded.* The banks
were lower at this point than usual, and the quantity of running water
was rather increased, probably from the springs which we had latterly
observed in great abundance in the banks, generally about two feet above
the surface of the stream. On the plains this day we found much selenite.

(*Footnote. This clay, in the opinion of geologists, has every appearance
of a mud deposit.)

June 25.

There was again a considerable mirage or refraction this morning on the
rising of the frost; and I hastened to a small hill near our camp that I
might behold the transient vision of a distant horizon. The view was most
interesting for the high lands on all sides appeared raised as if by
magic; and I thus discovered that the hill, previously seen in the west,
was connected with a chain which extended round to the north, and that
there was higher land to the southward of Maccu