ven hours, reached the pools found on the 2nd, in the upper
branch of the Gilbert River, and encamped. As this route nearly coincided
with that on the 2nd, nothing was seen worthy of farther notice.

Latitude by a Cygni 18 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds.

5th October.

At 6.45 a.m. left the camp and followed up the river in an
east-north-east direction for three miles; water was abundant in the
gullies owing to a heavy shower some days previous. Beyond three miles
the water ceased and the country was dry and parched. Low hills of schist
trap and granite formed a country near the river, and farther back high
ranges bounded the valley; they appeared to be flat-topped and with
horizontal strata of sandstone on the summits. At noon the river had
divided into several small branches, and the character of the country did
not promise the existence of water within the space of a day's journey;
we returned down the river to the last water we had seen, and camped
about three miles north-east of our last camp. As there was little
prospect of finding water again till the range to the east of our present
position was crossed, I decided on reconnoitring the country before
moving the party farther, and as the weather promised to continue fine,
the horse Monkey was shot and skinned preparatory to drying the meat
during my absence.

6th October.

At 6.5 a.m. left the camp with Mr. H. Gregory, steering nearly east,
crossed the south branch of the river, and reached the base of the higher
range at 9.30; here we found a small spring a quarter of a mile south of
a remarkable hill formed of a single mass of bare rock completely
honeycombed by the action of the atmosphere; ascended the range, which
consisted of porphyry with horizontal sandstone on the summit; we
continued our east course over rocky hills with dry watercourses trending
north; the grass was very thin and dry; and the country was openly wooded
with acacia, eucalypti, cypress, etc., none of which attained a large
size; at 1.30 p.m. halted to rest the horses, and searching among the
rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at
2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended
a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very
extensive. Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north,
and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or
wide valley extended to the horizon. In the va