de we reached a plain of white sand, from
which New Year's Range was distinctly visible; and this no doubt was
the spot that had attracted my attention. Pools of water continued on
it, from which circumstance it would appear that the sand had a
substratum of clay or marl. From this plain we proceeded southerly
through acacia scrub, bounding gently undulating forest land, and at
length ascended some small elevations that scarcely deserved the name
of hills. They had fragments of quartz profusely scattered over them;
and the soil, which was sandy, contained particles of mica.

MOSQUITOES.

The view from them was confused, nor did any fresh object meet our
observation. We had, however, considerably neared the two wooded hills,
and the elevations that from the range were to the S.W., now bore N.W.
of us. We had wandered too far from the camp to admit of our returning
to it to sleep; we therefore commenced a search for water, and having
found some, we tethered our horses near it for the night, and should
have been tolerably comfortable, had not the mosquitoes been so
extremely troublesome. They defied the power of smoke, and annoyed me
so much, that, hot as it was, I rolled myself in my boat cloak, and
perspired in consequence to such a degree, that my clothes were wet
through, and I had to stand at the fire in the morning to dry them. Mr.
Hume, who could not bear such confinement, suffered the penalty, and
was most unmercifully bitten.

A MAN MISSING.

We reached the camp about noon the following day, and learnt, to our
vexation, that one of the men, Norman, had lost himself shortly after
we started, and had not since been heard of. Dawber, my overseer, was
out in search of him. I awaited his return, therefore, before I took
any measures for the man's recovery; nor was I without hopes that
Dawber would have found him, as it appeared he had taken one of the
horses with him, and Dawber, by keeping his tracks, might eventually
have overtaken him. He returned, however, about 3 p.m. unsuccessful,
when Mr. Hume and I mounted our horses, and proceeded in different
directions in quest of him, but were equally disappointed.

We met at the creek in the dark, and returned to the camp together,
when I ordered the cypresses on the range to be set on fire, and thus
illuminated the country round for many miles. In the morning, however,
as Norman had not made his appearance, we again started in search of
the poor fellow, on whose acc