as obliged to seek shelter at the creek. It blew furiously during the
night of the 13th, in heated gusts from the north-east, and on the
morning of the 14th the gale continued with unabated violence, and
eventually became a hot wind. We were, therefore, unable to stir. The
flies being in such myriads around us, so that we could do nothing. It
is, indeed, impossible for me to describe the intolerable plague they
were during the whole of that day from early dawn to sunset.

On the night of the 14th it rained a little. About 3 a.m. the wind blew
round to the north-west, and at dawn we had a smart shower which cooled
the air, reducing the temperature to something bearable. The sun rose
amidst heavy clouds, by which his fiery beams were intercepted in their
passage to the earth's surface. Before we quitted our ground I sent Flood
up the creek, to trace it into the hills, an intention I was myself
obliged to forego, being anxious to remain with the cart. The distance
between the two creeks is about 26 miles, but, as I have already
described the intervening country, it may not be necessary to notice it
further. I was unable to take many back bearings, as the higher portions
of the ranges were enveloped in mist. We reached the glen at half-past 5
p.m., and took up our old berth just at the gorge, preparatory to
ascending the hills on the following day. Flood had already arrived
there, and informed me that he had not followed the creek to where it
issued from the ranges, but had approached very nearly, and could see the
point from which it broke through them. That he had not found any surface
water, but had tried the ground in many places, and always found water at
two or three inches depth, and that where the water was the most abundant
the feed was also the most plentiful.

As I had anticipated, we had heavy rain all night, and in the morning
continual flying thunder-storms. We started, however, at eight, and,
leaving the cart to push on for the rocky gully, Mr. Browne and I
proceeded to ascend some of the higher peaks, which we had not had time
to do in our advance. We accordingly turned into a narrow valley, in the
middle of which was the bed of a rocky watercourse, and on either side of
it were large clusters of the Clematis in full flower, that, mixed with
low bushes of Jasmine, sent forth a most delicious perfume. After winding
up this valley for about a mile and a half, we were stopped by a wall of
rock right across it,