es or between them. Nothing indeed could exceed the clean
appearance of these huge masses. On ascending this hill and seating
myself on the top of one of them to take bearings, I found that the
compass deviated 37 degrees from the north point, nor could I place any
dependance on the angles I here took.

At about nine miles the main range turned to the N.N.E., and Topar
accordingly keeping near its base changed his course, and at five miles
more led us into a pass in some respects similar to that by which we had
entered the range. It was however less confined and more open. Steep
hills, with rocks in slabs protruding from many parts, flanked it to the
south, whilst on its northern side perpendicular rocks, varying in height
from 15 to 20 feet, over which the hills rose almost as perpendicularly
more than 200 feet higher, were to be seen. Close under these was the
stony bed of a mountain torrent, but it was also evident that the whole
pass, about 160 yards broad, was sometimes covered by floods. Down this
gully Topar now led us, and at a short distance, crossing over to its
northern side, he stopped at a little green puddle of water that was not
more than three inches deep. Its surface was covered with slime and
filth, and our horses altogether rejected it. Some natives had recently
been at the place, but none were there when we arrived. I was exceedingly
provoked at Topar's treachery, and have always been at a loss to account
for it. At the time, both Mr. Browne and myself attributed it to the
machinations of our friend Nadbuck; but his alarm at invading the hilly
country was too genuine to have been counterfeited. It might have been
that Nadbuck and Toonda expected that they would benefit more by our
presents and provisions than if we left them for the interior, and
therefore tried by every means to deter us from going: they certainly had
long conversations with Topar before he left the camp to accompany us.
Still I may do injustice to them in this respect. However, whether this
was the case or not, we had to suffer from Topar's misconduct. I turned
out of the pass, and stopped a little beyond it, in a more sheltered
situation. Here Topar coolly cooked his dogs, and wholly demolished one
of them and part of the other. In wandering about the gorge of the glen,
Mr. Browne found a native well, but there was no water in it.

Our camp at Cawndilla now bore S.S.E. from us, distant 70 odd miles, and
having determined on moving