f the stream was very tortuous and its mouth was
almost blocked up by sandhills. The valley itself was both picturesque
and fertile, and the appearance of the country to the east and north-east
was highly promising. The stream I called the Bowes.

NATIVE RESTING-PLACE. NATIVE HUTS.

This spot was a favourite halting-place of the natives; and from the
number of huts and other indications which we saw the district must be
very densely populated. The huts were of the same superior construction
as those which we had seen near the Hutt, and the traces were very
recent, but the natives themselves were either at a distance or kept
carefully out of our way. The valley that we were now in, as well as the
other limestone valleys in this province, partook exactly of the
character of those in the carboniferous limestone districts of England
inasmuch as they were deep gorges, or ravines, now traversed by
watercourses or streams apparently much too insignificant to have grooved
them out.

PROVOKING INDOLENCE OF THE MEN.

Our finding water here was fortunate for I now showed the men that, had
they walked one mile farther instead of halting in the manner they had
done, they would have had abundance of it, and would have been, at this
moment, at least, five miles nearer home. I also directed Mr. Walker to
examine Stiles and to state whether he was in good health or not. He did
so and reported him quite well. I therefore when we started again gave
Stiles warning that I should not halt every minute for him but would
leave him behind, at the same time ordering him to walk in front of the
party, next after me.

I continued a course of 180 degrees up a steep limestone range, behind
which apparently ran a branch of the watercourse we had just passed: a
good country lay to the eastward of us. Stiles now delayed us so much
that some of his comrades spoke to him very warmly on the subject, whilst
others still held to the opinion that walking a few miles a day and
sometimes halting a day or two to refresh was the true mode of
proceeding. We only made two miles this evening and I threw myself on the
ground so worn and harassed that I could not sleep.

AN EXTENSIVE FERTILE COUNTRY.

Sunday April 7.

Before the sun had appeared above the horizon I managed to get the party
fairly started, and we followed a course of 180 degrees over elevated
sandy downs which rested on a limestone formation. The first four miles
of our journey was not very