the tomahawk, he succeeded very well; for his quick eye discovered,
from afar, the practicability of the road. We succeeded at last, and,
after many windings, reached our camp, even quicker than we had
anticipated. Charley returned next morning, and reported that he had
found a descent, but very far off. This "very far off" of Charley was
full of meaning which I well understood.

During the night we had a very heavy thunder-storm which filled our creek
and made its numerous waterfalls roar.

Nov. 20.--We proceeded on our tree-marked line to the slope, and
descending, arrived, after some difficulty, safe and sound in the valley.
Our horses and cattle were, however, in a distressing condition. The
passage along rocky creeks, between the loose blocks of which their feet
were constantly slipping, had rendered them very foot-sore, and had
covered their legs with sores. The feed had latterly consisted either of
coarse grasses, or a small sedge, which they did not like. But, in the
valley, all the tender grasses reappeared in the utmost profusion, on
which horses and bullocks fed most greedily during the short rest I
allowed them after reaching the foot of the slope. The creek formed a
fine waterfall of very great height, like a silver belt between rich
green vegetation, behind which the bare mountain walls alone were
visible. I proceeded down the creek about three miles to the north-west,
when it joined a larger creek from the south-west. Here one of our two
remaining bullocks refused to go any further; and as our meat bags were
empty, I decided upon stopping in this favourable spot to kill the
bullock.

Careya arborea, the broad-leaved Terminalia, Coniogeton arborescens, an
umbrageous white-gum tree, and Pandanus, together with the luxuriant
young grass, gave to the country a most pleasing aspect. But the late
thunder-storm had rendered the ground very damp, and that with the
mawkish smell of our drying meat, soon made our camp very disagreeable.
In the rocky gullies of the table land, we had observed a great number of
shrubs, amongst which a species of Pleurandra, a dwarf Calythrix, a
prostrate woolly Grevillea, and a red Melaleuca, were the most
interesting. Near the slope by which we entered the valley, a species of
Achras was found, but with a much smaller fruit than that of Port
Jackson.

The melodious whistle of a bird was frequently heard in the most rocky
and wretched spots of the table land. It raised its voice