a much finer shrub than H. celsii.  Also a species of Hibiscus, with rough palmate leaves, large bright sulphur-coloured flowers, with a rich purple spot at the base of each petal, the stamens and stigma bright red, the blossoms when fully expanded eight inches in circumference; the plant has a very erect habit.  Also another Hibiscus, with obcordate tomentose leaves, and pink flowers; both these last were very handsome shrubs.  The trees on the open ground were casuarinas and flooded-gums, with a few Balfourias.  Although we had a very difficult task before us—­the ascent of the hills-our spirits did not fail us; but the horses began to look very poor and weak, although they had always had plenty of grass.

July 31.

Early this morning Mr. Kennedy, Jackey, and four others left the camp, and began clearing a way up the mountain.  They remained out the whole of the day.

August 1.

Mr. Kennedy and his party returned to the camp, having determined on a route by which we should proceed up the mountain.  Mr. Kennedy spoke very highly of Jackey, and thought him one of the best men of the party for cutting away scrub and choosing a path; he never seemed tired, and was very careful to avoid deep gullies.

August 3.

We started early this morning, and proceeded up a spur of the range, in a north-westerly direction, but could not get so far as they had cleared.  We managed to get twenty-three horses and their loads up to a flat place on the range, but, after several efforts, being unable to drive or lead the other horse up, we left him tied to a tree in the scrub.  We found him all right the next morning, but as there was nothing but scrub before us, Mr. Kennedy thought it prudent to send the horses back to where there was grass and water for them, whilst some of the party cleared a path.  After we had entered the scrub, we crossed a small creek, running rapidly, and which joined another running from the north-eastward, and which at their junction, form the river we had been camped at for the last few previous days.

The creeks ran over precipitous rocky falls, and it was Mr. Kennedy’s opinion, that all the creeks we have met with on this side (coast side) the range, run into the swamps, and there spread, and gathering again, form into channels and run into Rockingham Bay.  There is a large tract of land opposite Rockingham Bay which is occupied by swamps, intersected by patches of open ground, and a few peaked hills.  The swamps extend about forty-five miles, to about 145 degrees 20 minutes east longitude.  It seemed that a great deal of rain had fallen over this country, and it rained at intervals all the time we were in the vicinity of Rockingham Bay—­from the 21st May to the middle of August.  It was Mr. Kennedy’s opinion that the rainy season occurred very late this year.  The whole peninsula seemed to fall from the east towards the west.

August 4.

Mitchell, Dunn, and myself, took the horses and sheep to grass and water, and having hobbled the former, we made ourselves a small hut with saplings, and covered it with a small tarpaulin.  We divided the night watch into three parts, being four hours each.