e forest, principally composed of the Pandanus and
wild nutmeg trees. Rich grasses and climbing plants occupied the interval
and twined around the trees, whilst parakeets of the most vivid colours
filled the wood with their cries. Nothing could be more striking than
this singular and novel scene; and we were all delighted as we wound our
way up the beautiful ravine.

The same character continued for the next mile or two, whilst
occasionally branch valleys of similar character ran off from a main one,
giving it at these points a much greater width. The summit of the cliffs
was found to be generally a rocky sandy tableland, thinly wooded; and
from what I had seen it appeared to me that I was not likely to find a
place better adapted for landing the stores than the main ravine.

On embarking to return we could perceive no sign of One Tree Island; and
as we swept down towards the sea the leafy top of a tree seen in the
clear water under the boat was the only evidence of its existence; though
a few hours ago it had formed so prominent an object.

FATE OF TWO OF THE DOGS.

The long-boat returned to the vessel half an hour after us and brought
eighty gallons of water; but the spot whence it was obtained had been
found very inconvenient for the purpose. At the waterhole they had met
Ranger, the dog we lost the first day; but he appeared quite mad, and
without recognising any of them ran wildly away into the woods. The body
of poor Ringhalz was also found, who had died on the spot where he fell.

LABOUR OF DISEMBARKING STORES.

December 6.

A party landed with me soon after dawn at the same point as yesterday,
for the purpose of selecting the spot at which to fix our temporary
encampment. We traced the valley for about four miles through scenery
precisely similar to that which we had found before; many branch valleys
ran of from the main one and differed from it in no other respect but
that they were much narrower. The most favourable spot I could find for
our purpose was distant about half a mile from the landing-place and
situated at the junction of two valleys, upon a neck of land which ran
out from the base of the cliffs. This was the nearest point to the sea at
which we should have been safe from any sudden inundation; it combined,
moreover, the advantages of affording a good supply of food and water for
the stock, of not being within reach of missiles thrown from the cliffs,
and at the same time of being situated cl