m the want of water. In
the rocky gullies, that I had passed in these mountains, there was,
probably, a sufficiency, but there was no land fit for the purposes of
farming. In other situations, on the contrary, there might be found
abundance of good soil, considered unavailable for any purpose except
grazing, because it had no frontage (as it is termed) on a river or chain
of ponds. Selections have been frequently made of farms, which have thus
excluded extensive tracts behind them from the water, and these remaining
consequently unoccupied, have continued accessible only to the sheep or
cattle of the possessor of the water frontage.

In these valleys of the Upper Wollombi, we find little breadth of
alluvial soil, but a never-failing supply of water has already attracted
settlers to its banks--and those smallfarmers who live on a field or two
of maize and potatoes--and who are the only beginning of an agricultural
population, yet apparent, in New South Wales--show a disposition to
nestle in any available corner there. But on the lower portion of the
Wollombi, where the valley widens, and water becomes less abundant, the
soil being sandy, I found it impossible to locate some veterans on small
farms, which I had marked out for them, because it was known that in dry
seasons, although each farm had frontage on the Wollombi Brook, very few
ponds remained in that part of its channel.

JOIN THE PARTY.

November 27.

Early this morning, I had a visit from Mr. Finch, who was very anxious
that I should attach him to the exploring party. As I foresaw, that some
delay might occur in procuring provisions, without his assistance, in
this district, I accepted his services, and gave him his instructions,
conditionally. I met Mr. White at the junction of the Ellalong, and we
proceeded together, down the valley of the Wollombi.

The sandstone terminates in cliffs on the right bank of this stream near
the projected village of Broke (named by me in honour of that meritorious
officer, Sir Charles Broke Vere, Bart.) but the left bank is overlooked
by other rocky extremities falling from the ranges on the west, until it
reaches the main stream. The most conspicuous of these headlands, as they
appear from that of Mattawee behind the village of Broke, is called
Wambo. This consists of a dark mottled trap with crystals of felspar. But
the most remarkable feature in this extensive valley, is the termination
thereupon of the sandstone formatio