completed our day's journey.
Open downs surrounded us, and fortunately I could still distinguish my
rocky position of yesterday, where I had noted that the general direction
of the river channel we had now again left, bore N. W. We were still much
to the southward of the line so observed, apprehending, as I did think
then, that some tempting plains might take us too far along some western
tributary. Riding in search of water, I perceived a column of smoke to
the northward; and, taking the party in that direction, we found, in the
first valley we fell in with, a chain of ponds, and in one of these water
enough for our use, whereupon I gladly encamped. This day we discovered a
new EUCALYPTUS which casts its bark in small angular pieces.[*] Latitude,
26 deg. 33' 34" S. Thermometer, at 4 P. M., 74 deg.; at sunset, 63 deg.. Height above
the sea, 1299 feet.

[* E. VIMINALIS (Hook. MS.); foliis alternis glaucis lineari-lanceolatis
breviter tenuiter petiolatis subfalcatis utrinque acuminatis
reticulatovenosis, nervis lateralibus marginem prope, racemis paucifloris
axillaribus, calyce turbinato in pedicellum brevem attenuato.]

10TH MAY.--Continued nearly northwards, over fine open forest land. The
sprinkling of mountains of peculiar forms here and there, and the open
country, which showed a bluey distance, were new features in the scenery,
and most pleasing to us, so long accustomed to travel through a level
woody country. The visible possibility of overlooking the country from
any eminence, is refreshing at all times, but to an explorer it is every
thing; besides he is not half so much in danger of wanting water, when in
the neighbourhood of mountains: with these sentiments I went forward this
morning, even although rather despairing of seeing more of our friendly
river. We crossed two chains of dry ponds, apparently some of its highest
sources. Still I travelled steadily towards a fine mountain before us,
over open downs, but with scrubs on either side. Reaching a dry bushy
hill S. E. of the mountains, about the time we should have encamped, I
perceived that the country sloped most to the eastern side of it, which
was rather out of my course; for the sake of finding water more readily I
got into a water-course falling that way, and followed it down. This,
opening soon into grassy flats, enabled us to avoid the scrubs. The
welcome white-trunked Eucalyptus next over-hung the holes of the water-
course, and the valleys spread in