long courses where they formed in the range, but which were all alike lost when they reached the level country.  On the 4th of May they attained to the northern termination of this range, which he called the Ashburton Range.  Here he made several attempts to the north and north-west, but could discover neither water nor watercourses in those directions; nothing indeed but plains, beautifully grassed, but heavy to ride over and yielding under the horses’ feet.  Beyond these plains, the country changed for the worse, and became sandy and scrubby.  On the 16th of May he encountered a new description of scrub that grew in a very obstructive manner, and is now known as Stuart’s Desert Hedgewood.

On the 23rd he found a magnificent sheet of permanent water which he called the Newcastle Waters, and at first he judged that a clear way north was now assured.  But he was deluded, for beyond these waters he could not advance his party a mile; north, north-east, and north-west, there was the one outlook —­ endless grassy plains, terminating in dense scrubby forest country.  He had to give up all hope for the present, and return to Adelaide.

Such however was the confidence of the authorities in him, and such his own energy, that in less than a month after his arrival in Adelaide he was on his way to Chambers Creek to make preparations for a fresh departure.  His last two journeys had proved the existence of a long line of good country, fairly well-watered; and although beyond it he had not been able to gain a footing, still there was no knowing what a fresh endeavour would bring to light.

He had brought his party back in safety, with the loss of only a few horses, and had actually reached in point of position as low a latitude as the Victorian explorers had done, and that with a more difficult country to travel through, without camels, and with an inferior equipment in all other respects.

It is not necessary again to follow Stuart’s horse-tracks over the northern way he was now pursuing for the third time.  On the 14th of April, 1862, we find him encamped at the northern end of Newcastle Waters, once more about to force a passage through the forest of waterless scrub to the north.  On the second day he was partly successful, finding an isolated waterhole, surrounded by conglomerate rocks.  This he called Frew’s Pond; and it is now a well-known camping-place for travellers on the overland telegraph line.

Past this spot he was not able to make any progress.  Twice he made strenuous but vain efforts to reach some tributary of the Victoria River.  He then spent many days riding through dense mulga and hedgewood scrub.  At length, after much hope deferred, finding a few scanty waterholes that did not serve the purpose he had in view, he succeeded in striking the head of a chain of ponds running in a northerly direction.  These being followed down, led him to the head of the creek now called Daly Waters Creek, and finally