trap, but at about a
mile below it changed to a coarse grey granite, huge blocks of which,
traversed by quartz, were scattered about. The defile had opened out a
little below where we had slept, but it soon again narrowed, and the
hills closed in upon it nearer than before. The bed of the creek at the
same time became rocky, and blocked up with immense fragments of granite.
We passed two or three pools of water, one of which was of tolerable
size, and near it there were the remains of a large encampment of
natives. Near to it also there was a well, a sure sign that however deep
the water-holes in the glen might now be, there are times when they are
destitute of any. There can be no doubt, indeed, but that we owed our
present supply of water both at this place and at the Coonbaralba pass,
to the rains that fell in the hills during the week we remained at
Williorara.

Soon after passing the native camp, our further progress was completely
stopped by large blocks of granite, which, resting on each other,
prevented the possibility of making a passage for the cart or even of
advancing on horseback. In this predicament I sent Flood to climb one of
the hills to our left, to see if there was a leading spur by which we
could descend to the plains; but on his return to us he said that the
country was wholly impracticable, but that he thought we should see more
of it from a hill he had noticed about three miles to the north-east. We
accordingly left Morgan with the horses and walked to it. We reached the
summit after a fatiguing walk of an hour, but neither were we repaid for
our trouble, nor was there anything in the view to lead us to hope for
any change for the better. The character of the country had completely
changed, and in barrenness it far exceeded that through which we had
already passed. The line of hills extended from S.E. by S. to the
opposite point of the compass, and formed a steep wall to shut out the
level country below them.

One might have imagined that an ocean washed their base, and I would that
it really had been so, but a very different hue spread between them and
the distant horizon than the deep blue of the sea. The nearer plains
appeared of a lighter shade than the rest of the landscape, but there
were patches of trees or shrubs upon them, which in the distance were
blended together in universal scrub. A hill, which I had at first sight
taken to be Mount Lyell of Sir Thomas Mitchell, bore 7 degrees to t