ickaxes, and various other
articles which it was considered were too heavy to be carried on
horseback. We however took good care that not an ounce of provisions of
any description should be left behind. The sugar and tea were more
compactly packed than heretofore, and the packages in which they had
formerly been carried were left behind. Near this camp a large swamp
extended south-westward, but it was clear of scrub, containing nothing
but Melaleucas of moderate size.

July 18.

Having loaded the horses, we started at eight o'clock this morning, in
good hope and high spirits, rejoicing to have got rid of one great
impediment to our progress. The blacks regarded us with curious interest
as we proceeded on our way, forming a train of twenty-six horses,
followed by the sheep, and Mitchell occasionally sounding a horn he had
brought with him.

We all felt the inconvenience of leaving the carts behind, and I in
particular. I was now obliged to make two strong bags to fit my specimen
boards, and to hang them over a horse's back, one bag on each side, a
very inconvenient method, as it rendered them liable to much damage going
through the scrub. The sheep at this time had grown very thin and poor,
not averaging more than thirty pounds when skinned and dressed; they had,
however, become so habituated to following the horses that they cost us
very little trouble in driving them.

After travelling about six miles through open forest land we camped near
a creek on the skirts of a thick scrub.

July 19.

We were cutting through scrub all day, skirting numerous small creeks
which we met with here, most of them running to the eastward. The soil
was rather stiff, and indicated a rocky formation, blocks of granite
projecting from it in various directions.

July 20, 21, and 22.

During these three days we travelled over an irregular, mountainous
country, intersected by numerous creeks, running in every direction, but
all of them with belts of scrub on each side. We sometimes crossed the
same creeks two or three times a day, owing to the tortuous directions
they took, and our clothes were kept wet all the day; some of them too
had very steep banks, which presented another obstacle to the progress of
our horses. Between the creeks, small patches of open forest land
intervened, with large blocks of rock scattered over them; most of the
creeks had a rocky bottom, and were running to the eastward.

July 23.

Sunday, we had praye