ing the hilly country; but after going some distance we
found our guide at fault, and he very innocently acknowledged himself to
be, as he termed it, "murry stupid." It was a long time, he said, since
he had travelled that way. Having however provided myself with a sketch
of the country and a compass, I was enabled to conduct the party out of
this dilemma.

A CLEARING LEASE.

On reaching the banks of William river, we inquired our way at a cottage,
whose occupants, I found, held a small piece of land on what is called a
clearing lease--that is to say, they were allowed to retain possession of
it for so many years, for the labour of clearing the land. Many an
industrious poor man is raised to opulence by this means, a pair of oxen
being all that is necessary to set them going. With them they drag away
the fallen timber, and afterwards plough the land. It is astonishing to
see what work oxen will do; they drag drays over almost incredible
steeps, not quartering them as horses do, but going straight up, be the
hills ever so steep.

We learnt here that the township of Dungog, through which our road to
Stroud lay, was close by. We should readily know it, we were informed, by
the lock-up, a place of confinement for misbehavers, and generally the
first building in Australian towns. The particular erection alluded to,
seemed to be well known in the neighbourhood. As we crossed the William
river I was much struck with the richness of the flats on its banks.

CROSSING THE KARUAH.

In fording the Karuah, just before reaching Stroud, the effect was
singular and startling. The thick foliage arching over the river, quite
shut out the little light the stars afforded, and as we had to descend
into it, down a very steep bank, it was like plunging into a dark
bottomless pit; the noise of the stream over the stones alone told us we
should find a footing below. Into this gloomy cave our party one by one
descended, the foremost calling out when he had reached the bottom, that
the way was clear, and hastening across to prevent the horseman who
followed from being carried by the impetus into contact with him. Waiting
my turn upon the verge of the bank, I contemplated with pleasure the
heavy masses of the forest stretching like dark shadows behind me, and on
the other side, the long winding line of verdure at my feet, from beneath
which rose the splashing, rippling, gushing sound of the stream, whilst
overhead, the vault of heaven was thi