e of 120 degrees; reached the foot of the
sandstone range at 8.50, and the summit at 9.30, the tableland on the top
of the range being intersected by deep ravines trending to the
south-west; we steered east till 11.40, when we came to a deep valley
trending east-south-east; having made the necessary observations for
elevation, commenced the descent of the hills, which was practicable in
few places, as the valley was walled-in by steep hills crowned by
sandstone cliffs 20 to 100 feet in height, with only an occasional break.
At 1.0 p.m. reached the base of the hill, and encamped at a small gully.
The summit of the range is nearly a level tableland, the undulations not
exceeding 100 feet, but is intersected by deep ravines with perpendicular
sides, which vary from 100 to 600 feet in depth. The upper rock is
sandstone, and the soil on it very poor and sandy, producing small
eucalypti, hakea, grevillia, and a sharp spiny grass (triodia); this is
the spinifex of Captain Sturt and other Australian explorers. The
character of the country is similar to that of the interior of some parts
of the western coast.

Latitude by Capella 15 degrees 59 minutes 32 seconds.

JASPER CREEK. GRASSY COUNTRY.

8th January.

Heavy rain till 7.0 a.m.; at 7.15 started and followed down the valley of
the creek to south-south-east and south till 9.0, when it joined a larger
valley trending east, in which a large creek in high flood obstructed our
course. As the water was too deep to ford, we fixed a rope to a branch of
a tree and passed the packs over the stream. This was accomplished at 3.0
p.m., and the water having also sunk a foot, the horses crossed over, and
we encamped on the south side of the creek. The valleys are well grassed,
and vary from a quarter to three-quarters of a mile in width, the hills
rising steeply from the base to near the summit, where they are crowned
by a sandstone cliff 20 to 150 feet high; the summits are level, or
nearly so, as the valleys are only deep ravines excavated in the
tableland. The valley of the larger creek appears to expand about five
miles to the west of the camp, and the hills all rounded in their
outline.

9th January.

A light shower at night was followed by a cool cloudy morning. At 6.50
a.m. followed down the creek to the east, and crossed to the left bank to
avoid a rocky hill. On attempting to cross lower down, one of the
pack-horses was carried down the stream some distance by the force of