ency being the only matter of doubt--our limited
acquaintance with the nature of the seasons in these latitudes does not
enable us to decide with any degree of certainty; the pools lower down
the river are unquestionably of a permanent character, but many of them
were already becoming brackish.

The quantity of game seen in this part of the country was also a
favourable indication. Turkeys, and a new variety of pigeon, having a
brown back and slate-coloured breast, on the wing resembling a tame
pigeon, congregate in flights sometimes of a thousand together; emus,
cockatoos, quail, and parakeets are also very numerous, particularly the
latter.

3rd June.

A gentle ascent of two and a half miles brought us to the foot of Mount
Augustus, where, leaving our horses in charge of Fairburn and Dugel, we
commenced the ascent up the only accessible point on this side of the
hill; it required two hours' heavy toil to bring us to the summit, the
barometer gradually falling until it only registered 26.10, which,
compared with the simultaneous observations kept at Champion Bay by Mr.
H. Gray, gives an elevation of 3,480 feet above the level of the sea; the
last 500 feet of the summit being clothed in thickets of melaleuca,
amongst which grew a nondescript variety of red gum-tree, the only new
thing observed in this locality. The air was fortunately very clear,
enabling us to take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within
eighty miles, and in two instances to hills more than a hundred miles
distant.

From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the courses of
the rivers for more than twenty miles, some of them probably taking their
rise from 60 to 100 miles still further to the eastward. To the
north-east the country continued to improve in appearance until the view
was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite--one of which bearing
north 32 degrees east magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having a sharp
volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To the south-east
the country was not quite so promising, the ridges presenting naked stony
outlines, upon which was only a little scanty grass or a few bushes; to
the south it was almost an uninterrupted plain, extending nearly as far
as the Murchison River, over which lay our homeward course. Descending
the mount, we encamped at a spring in some fine feed close at its foot.

RETURN TOWARDS SETTLEMENTS.

4th June.

As we had now been out fifty-o