ut our progress had scarcely commenced again
on the other side when it was impeded by another similar stream or
channel. In this we managed, with Piper's assistance, to find a ford but,
at less than a quarter of a mile, we met a third channel, more resembling
the first in the height of its banks and velocity of the current, and
also from its flowing amongst bushes. This we likewise forded, and
immediately after we ascended a piece of rising ground which convinced me
that we had at length crossed all the branches of that remarkable river.
It is probable we came upon it where it received the waters of
tributaries, and some of these channels might be such.

A RIDGE OF POOR SANDY SOIL.

We next fell in with some undulating ground different in many respects
from any that we had traversed during the morning. The soil was poor and
sandy; and the stunted trees and shrubs of the Blue mountains grew upon
it, instead of the novelties we expected at such a great distance from
home. We also recognised the birds common about Sydney. On reaching the
higher part of this ground (at nine miles) I again saw the mountain which
then bore 196 degrees. The intervening ground seemed to consist of a low
ridge rather heavily wooded, its crest presenting a line as level as the
ocean. At eleven miles I supposed we were upon the dividing ground
between the sea-coast country and that of the interior, and on what
appeared to be the only connection between the forest mountains to the
eastward and the lofty mass then before us. We found upon this neck huge
trees of ironbark and stringybark; some fine forest-hills appeared to the
eastward and distant only a few miles.

CROSS SEVERAL FINE STREAMS.

At the end of sixteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, and twenty-three
miles we crossed small rivers, all flowing westward, and the third over
sandstone. After passing the last or fifth stream, we halted on a very
fine open, dry and grassy flat. We found a large fallen tree which we set
on fire and passed the night, a very mild one, most comfortably on the
ground beside it, with the intention of renewing our journey at daylight
in the morning.

TRAP-HILLS AND GOOD SOIL.

July 14.

On leaving our bivouac we crossed some hills of trap-rock which were
lightly wooded and covered with the finest grass in great abundance. The
scenery around them, the excellent quality of the soil, the abundance of
water and verdure, contrasted strangely with the circumstanc