om passing through these scrubs, and we rejoiced at
the prospect of rejoining, this day, our countrymen at the Pyramids. I
found a fine open forest between the ponds where we had formerly passed
the night, and Mount Pluto; and we crossed several water-courses, the
grass on their banks being green and young, because the old grass had
been burnt off by the natives. These water-courses form the highest
sources of the Salvator. We were at no very considerable elevation above
the sea where we had slept (696 feet), yet we found the air on the
mountains much cooler than that of the interior plains. There was much
Callitris in the woods passed through this day; and the soil, although
well covered with grass, was sandy. I ascended Mount Pluto by the N. W.
side, where the loose fragments of trap, on a very steep slope, obstruct
the growth of a thorny scrub, covering other parts of the mountain sides.
The view from the summit was very favourable for my purpose, and I passed
an hour and a half in taking angles on all distant points. Mount Owen and
Mount Kilsyth were both visible; Buckland's Table-land in the East, and
some of the recently discovered ranges in the west, were just visible
across the trap-rock range, which connected Mount Playfair with Mount
Hutton; which range almost shut out the view to the westward. In the S.
W., some very remarkable features appeared to terminate westward, in
abrupt cliffs over a low country, into which the Maran (as far as known),
the Warrego, and the Nive, seem to carry their waters. What that country
is, was a most interesting point, which I was very reluctant to leave
still a mystery. No volcanic hills appeared to the westward of this trio,
which thus seem to mark the place where the upheaving forces have most
affected the interior structure of Australia. The temperature on Mount
Pluto, at noon, was 90 deg.; and the elevation above the sea, 2420 feet.

On descending to where I had left the horses, we mounted, and struck into
the old outward track; but we had difficulty in following it, although it
was not above a month old. We saw many kangaroos to the eastward of Mount
Pluto, but could not get a shot at any. I had seen much smoke in the
direction of our camp, and was anxious about the safety of the party left
there. We reached it before sunset, and were received with loud cheers.
All were well, the natives had not come near, the cattle were in high
condition. Mr. Stephenson had a fine collectio