the
Western River, and the River Grose.

On the following morning (May the 12th) as soon as the heavy dew was
off, which was about nine a.m., they proceeded to ascend the ridge at
the foot of which they had camped the preceding evening. After
travelling about a mile on the third day in a west and north-west
direction, they arrived at a large tract of forest land, rather hilly,
the grass and timber tolerably good. They computed it as two thousand
acres. Here they found a track marked by a European, by cutting the bark
of the trees. They had not proceeded above two miles, when they found
themselves stopped by a brushwood, much thicker than they had hitherto
met with. This induced them to alter their course, and to endeavour to
find another passage to the westward, but every ridge which they
explored proved to terminate in a deep rocky precipice, and they had no
alternative but to return to the thick brushwood, which appeared to be
the main ridge, with the determination to cut a way through for the
horses the next day.

On the next morning, leaving two men to take care of the horses and
provisions, they proceeded to cut a path through the thick brushwood, on
what they considered as the main ridge of the mountains, between the
Western River, and the River Grose. They now began to mark their track
by cutting the bark of the trees on two sides. Having cut their way for
about five miles, they returned in the evening to the spot on which they
had encamped the night before. The fifth day was spent in prosecuting
the same tedious operation, but, as much time was necessarily lost in
walking twice over the track cleared the day before, they were unable to
cut away more than two miles further. They found no food for the horses
the whole way.

On Sunday, they rested and arranged their future plans. They had reason,
however, to regret this suspension of their proceedings, as it gave the
men leisure to ruminate on their danger, and it was for some time
doubtful whether, on the next day, they could be persuaded to venture
farther.

On Wednesday, the 19th, the party moved forward, bearing chiefly west,
and west-south-east. They now began to ascend the second ridge of the
mountains, and from this elevation they obtained for the first time an
extensive view of the settlements below.

At a little distance from the spot at which they began the ascent, they
found a pyramidical heap of stones, the work, evidently, of some
European, one