hasm to ascertain whether it was warm.

VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.

The discovery of an extinct volcano gave additional interest to Mount
Napier, but it was by no means a better station for the theodolite on
that account; on the contrary it was the worst possible for, as the trees
grew on the edge of the crater, no one station could be found to afford a
view of the horizon until the whole circumference was cleared of the
trees, and this was too great a work for us at that visit. Mount William
and the Grampian range presented a noble outline to the northward. The
sun had set before I could recognise distant points in the highly
interesting country to be seen from this remarkable hill. The weather was
also unfavourable and I descended to pass the night at its base in hopes
that the next morning might be clear.

RETURN TO THE CAMP.

On reaching the spot where I had left the horses I found that our native
friend Tommy Came-last could discover no water in any of the numerous
hollows around the hill and, though the superabundance of this element
had caused the chief impediment to our progress through the country at
that time, we were obliged to pass a night most uncomfortably from the
total want of it at the base of Mount Napier. The spongy-looking rocks
were however dry enough to sleep upon, a quality of which the soil in
general had been rather deficient, as most of us felt in our muscles. I
perceived a remarkable uniformity in the size of the trees, very few of
which were dead or fallen. From this circumstance, together with the
deficiency of the soil and the sharp edge of the rock generally, some
might conclude that the volcano had been in activity at no very remote
period.

September 5.

A thick fog hung upon the mountain until half-past 10 A.M. and when I
ascended an extremity I could see nothing of the distance. I had however
ascertained the nature of the country thus far, this having been the
object of my visit and, as I had resolved from what I had seen to pass to
the northward at no great distance from this hill, I returned with less
reluctance, in hopes that I might have it in my power yet to revisit it
during more favourable weather. The day was squally with several very
heavy showers, the wind being from the south-west. We saw two natives at
a fire when we were returning, and our friend Tommy readily advanced
towards them but they immediately set up such loud and incessant cries
that I called to him to come awa