y and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to
the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station
about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were
to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were
sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition
party.

The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe
frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the
station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all
night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as
straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point.

Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather
boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling;
our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before
finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to
give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured
yesterday in crossing the country.

June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy
with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the
drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the
fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our
complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station,
and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner,
always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best
place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the
backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded.

By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these
positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against,
they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle,
and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the
sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons, between
them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet,
and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got
at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap;
by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists
when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have
myself formerly seen carbine