, is smooth and shining. In this wood
we recognised the rosella parrot, and various plants so common near
Sydney but not before seen by us in the interior.

At ten miles we travelled over undulating ground for the first time since
we left the banks of the Lachlan; and we crossed a chain of ponds
watering a beautiful and extensive valley covered with a luxuriant crop
of the anthisteria grass. Kangaroos were now to be seen on all sides, and
we finally encamped on a deeper chain of ponds, probably the chief
channel of the waters of that valley. A ridge of open forest-hills
appearing before us, I rode to the top of one of the highest summits
while the men pitched the tents; and from it I perceived a hilly country
through whose intricacies I at that time saw no way, and beyond it a
lofty mountain range arose in the south-west. To venture into such a
region with wheel-carriages seemed rather hazardous when I recollected
the coast ranges of the colony; and I determined to examine it further
before I decided whether we should penetrate these fastnesses, or travel
westward round them, thus to ascertain their extent in that direction and
that of the good land watered by them.

July 5.

I proceeded with several men mounted towards the lofty hill to the
eastward of our route, the highest of those I had intersected from Mount
Hope and the Pyramid-hill, its aboriginal name, as I afterwards learnt,
being Barrabungale.* Nearly the whole of our way was over granite rocks.
We had just reached a naked mass near the principal summit when the
clouds, which had been lowering for some time, began to descend on the
plains to the northward, and soon closing over the whole horizon
compelled me to return, without having had an opportunity of observing
more than that the whole mass of mountains in the south declined to the
westward. This was however a fact of considerable importance with respect
to our further progress; for I could enter that mountain-region with less
hesitation as I knew that I could leave it, if necessary, and proceed
westward by following down any of the valleys which declined in that
direction.

(*Footnote. Warrabangle is a very similar name and belongs to a hill
similarly situated five degrees further to the northward. See Map.)

ASCEND BARRABUNGALE. RAINY WEATHER. EXCURSION SOUTHWARD.

July 6.

The morning being rainy, I could learn nothing more by ascending
Barrabungale as I intended; but I rode into the country to