ill we had
encamped on formed a sort of plateau; behind us stood dark mountains, and
in our front lay fertile plains, from which green hills rose one behind
the other until they were lost in the distance, without any perceptible
change in the character of the country. To the eastward the prospect was
similar, as well as to the westward, except that in this direction the
hills were more lofty, and behind these the tropical sun was hurrying
down with a rapidity of movement never witnessed by those who live in the
gloomy climes of the north. The men all looked healthy and full of hope;
the cool sea-breeze refreshed my feverish frame: I painted in fancy the
rapid progress that this country would ere long make in commerce and
civilization, and my weakness and fatigues were all forgotten.

DISTANT EXPANSE OF WATER.

February 28.

At dawn this morning the sheep could not be found; tempted by the
goodness of the feed they had broken out from the little enclosure we had
made for them and had wandered off. The stock-keeper and two of the men,
having ascended the conical hill behind us to try if they could see them
from it, reported on their return that they could descry a large lake or
expanse of water, which bore about south by west from us.

VEXATIOUS DELAYS.

Whilst the search for the sheep was continued I sent another party up the
hill to observe more particularly this sheet of water, who returned with
a report similar to that of the stock-keeper, and I therefore determined,
as soon as everything had been prepared for starting, to move off in the
direction pointed out; unfortunately the sheep were not found till near
noon but, as I was afraid we should consequently lose a whole day, I
started directly after they were brought in. We had not proceeded more
than half a mile ere I had cause to repent this measure, for two or three
of the men suffered severely from exposure to the sun, and one of them
became so unwell that I was obliged to halt the party.

The spot I chose was the bank of a stream, shaded over by dense trees
and, if anything could have atoned for the mortification of being
compelled to halt when so anxious to get on, the cool beauty of this spot
would have done so.

When the sun began to fall we again moved on, following the course of the
stream, which ran through a fertile valley about two miles wide and
bounded on either side by gently sloping hills, extending through a
country thinly wooded. We did not