among the rocks in the gullies obtained about three quarts of water by digging; at 2.45 resumed our route, traversing a hilly country, and at 4.15 ascended a granite hill with sandstone summit, from which the view was very extensive.  Large valleys seemed to join and trend from south to north, and were bounded by ranges, except to the east, where a level plain or wide valley extended to the horizon.  In the valley a line of green trees five miles distant marked the course of a creek.  Descending the range we encountered a very rocky country with deep gullies, in one of which we found a few gallons of water, which our horses consumed.  As there was no grass here, we pushed on till dusk, and bivouacked in a small patch of grass by the side of a dry gully.  The country east of the range is entirely granitic; grass very scanty, and very thinly wooded with ironbark.

Cross A granite range.

7th October.

Continued an east course at 5.50 a.m., and at 7.50 reached the large creek, which was 100 yards wide with shallow sandy bed; the banks low and thinly timbered with ironbark and a few box trees; the soil poor and sandy, producing little grass.  Large casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew in the channel of the creek, which we followed three miles to the north-east without finding any water, and only two spots where it could be procured by digging; we therefore returned up the creek, and dug a well at the most eligible spot, procuring an abundance of good water; at 2.20 p.m. commenced our return route towards the camp, and following up the spurs of the range found a practicable route for the pack-horses; passed the highest point of the range at 6.0, and bivouacked at a small dry watercourse at 7.15 p.m.

8th October.

Resumed our route at 6.0 a.m., and deviating to the north of the outward route, found a small pool of water in a rocky gully, and following it down a mile came to a pool of sufficient size to supply the whole party.  At 10.30 reached Bowman’s Spring at the foot of the range, and by digging in the moist soil obtained a little water.  As we approached the spring a small party of blacks shouted to us from the summit of one of the hills, but did not descend to us, though we halted till 12.30 p.m., and then resumed our route, reaching the camp at 4.0, and found the party all well; the horse-meat quite dry and fit for carriage.  Bowman had also replaced the shoes on all the horses.  The geological character gradually changes, in consequence of the larger development of the older rocks, as we proceed to the eastward.  At the camp gneiss, porphyry, and trap have superseded the slates, and proceeding east, granite is visible at the western base of the range.  This is covered by a thick mass of porphyry, containing large fragments of slate, gneiss and granite in its lower part, and in its upper portion it has a fine grain and light colour.  Being deeply cracked by vertical fissures, it forms vertical columns of rhomboidal form, resembling basalt.  The summits of the higher hills are formed by horizontal beds of white sandstone, containing water-worn pebbles of quartz.  Granite supersedes the other rocks as the east slope of the range is approached, and is there occasionally intercepted by veins of dark trap.