to trot for several hours; and as the
country still improved, several fine grassy valleys coming in from the
eastward, we made considerable progress.

ALMA RIVER.

At our noon halt Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of
300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds,
which had been named Mount Thompson. From this hill we had an extensive
view of the surrounding country; close to the northern foot the river
divided into two nearly equal parts--one coming from the north-north-east
we named the Alma. To the north, just resting on the edge of the tropic,
lay a compact range through which there was apparently but one break, and
that was on the line of the Alma; from the southern face of this range,
which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take
their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its
course and was now coming from the east-south-east. Our intention had
been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the
Alma was not running, we decided upon following the main course of the
stream, and accordingly adopted an easterly course for the remainder of
the day, encamping about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson. The
river here was much narrower, with a rocky bed containing many pools of
permanent character, overshadowed by flooded-gums of large growth, much
resembling the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not
possessing the same pungent leaf.

30th May (Sunday).

Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 minutes 32 seconds, and longitude
111 degrees east by account.

31st May.

NATIVE TOBACCO.

We started off at a quick pace, clearing sixteen miles by noon, over some
fine open grassy flats, timbered for nearly a mile back from the river;
one tributary 100 yards wide having joined from the north, and a smaller
one from the south. Leaving the party busily occupied catching fish,
which were abundant in this part of the river and much resembling those
found in the Murchison, but larger, some of them being upwards of a pound
in weight, I walked with Mr. Nairn to the summit of a granite hill two
miles to the northward, from which I had a number of cross-bearings to
hills already observed from Mount Thompson. One of considerable elevation
bearing north 121 degrees 30 minutes east, distance fifty miles, lay
directly up the valley of the river, and was ultimately named Mount
Augustus, after my brother,