to within a mile of them; and as the day had been exceedingly
warm, Mr. Poole encamped in a little gully. He then walked with Mr.
Browne to the top of the nearest hill, and from it observed two lines of
gum-trees in the plains below them to the north, which gave them hopes of
finding water in the morning, as they were without any. Saw two detached
ranges bearing 320 degrees and 329 degrees respectively, and a distant
flat-topped hill, bearing 112 degrees from them, the country appearing to
be open to the north.

On the 13th, the party pushed on at an early hour for the gum-trees, but
found no water. Observed numerous flights of pigeons going to the N.W.
Traced the creek down for two miles, when they arrived at a place where
the natives had been digging for water; here Mr. Poole left Mr. Browne
and went further down the creek, when he succeeded in his search; but
finding, on his return, that Mr. Browne and Mack had cleared out the well
and got a small supply of water, with which they had relieved the horses
and prepared breakfast, he did not return to the water he had discovered,
but proceeded to the next line of gum-trees where there was another
creek, but without water in it; coming on a small quantity in its bed at
two miles, however, they encamped. A meridian altitude of Aldebaran here
gave their latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes 0 seconds S. On the following
morning Mr. Poole started on a W.N.W. course for a large hill, from
whence he was anxious to take bearings, and which he reached and ascended
after a journey of 22 miles. From this hill, which he called the Magnetic
Hill (Mount Arrowsmith), because on it the north point of the compass
deviated to within 3 degrees of the south point, he saw high ranges to
the north and north-east; a hill they had already ascended bore 157
degrees 30 minutes, and the flat-topped hill 118 degrees 30 minutes. From
the Magnetic Hill, Mr. Poole went to the latter, and ascended the highest
part of it. The range was rugged, and composed of indurated quartz, and
there was a quantity of gypsum in round flat pieces scattered over the
slopes of the hills. The country to the W. and W.N.W. appeared to be very
barren. The range on which they were was perfectly flat at the top, and
covered with the same vegetation as the plains below. From this point Mr.
Poole went to the north, but at 12 miles changed his course to the N.E.
for three miles, when he intersected a creek with gum-trees, and shortly
a