ing scenery of this region, the most southern of all Australia
and the best. Beyond the White lake, which may be the distinguishing name
of the last mentioned, we passed over several tracts of open forest land
separated by dry sandhills, and at length encamped on a rich flat.

MUDDY STATE OF THE SURFACE.

The cattle were very much fatigued from the heaviness of the draught
owing to the extreme softness of the surface, especially on the more open
forest lands; and one bullock-driver remained behind with a cart until we
could send back a team by moonlight to his assistance.

NATIVES AND THE BULLOCK-DRIVER.

July 27.

The cart which had fallen behind came in about three o'clock in the
morning. The natives had soon been heard about the solitary driver, and
four of them came up to him and demanded tomahawks; but being an old
bushranger, he, on their approach, laid out all his cartridges one by one
before him on a tarpaulin with his pistol and carabine, ready for action;
but fortunately his visitors did not proceed to extremities. The morning
was very foggy and, as this weather did not admit of my choosing a good
line of route, and as the surface of the country was so soft that it was
imperatively necessary to look well before us, I halted. I could thus at
least bring up my maps and journals and rest the jaded cattle after so
much long-continued toil in travelling through the mud.

MR. STAPYLTON'S RIDE SOUTHWARD.

I directed Mr. Stapylton to ride in the direction of 30 degrees West of
South (my intended route) and ascertain whether we were approaching any
river. The country we were in, being still lacustrine, I hoped to find
the surface more favourable for travelling upon where it was drained by
rivers; for on that amongst the salt lakes, although the land was very
good in point of fertility, there was evidently a deficiency of slope and
consequently much more water retained in the soil. Still the ground
presented undulations, being rarely quite level like the plains except
indeed in the beds of swamps. Recent experience had taught us to avoid
the very level parts and to seek any kind of rising ground. The hills we
occasionally fell in with consisted of white sand, and at first looked
like connected ridges where we might find streams; but we ascertained
that they always parted without enclosing any channels and left us in the
mud. The sand itself still consisted of the same rock (decomposed) which
appeared to be so gen