towards the north-east, into the country north of the range of Nundewar, a region apparently champaign, but including a few isolated and picturesque hills.  Patches of wood were scattered over the level parts, and we hastened towards a land of such promising aspect.  Water however was the great object of our search, but I had no doubt that I should find enough in a long valley before us, which descended from the range on the east.  In this I was nevertheless mistaken; for although the valley was well escarped, it did not contain even the trace of a watercourse.

MOUNT FRAZER.

Crossing the ridge beyond it, to a valley still deeper, which extended under a ridge of very remarkable hills, we met with no better success; nor yet when we had followed the valley to its union with another, under a hill which I named Mount Frazer, after the botanist of that name.

THE PARTY IN DISTRESS FOR WANT OF WATER.

No other prospect of relief from this most distressing of all privations remained to us, and the day was one of extraordinary heat, for the thermometer, which had never before been above 101 degrees on this journey, now stood at 108 degrees in the shade.  The party had travelled sixteen miles, and the cattle could not be driven further with any better prospect of finding water.  We therefore encamped in this valley while I explored it upwards, but found all dry and desolate.  Mr. White returned late, after a most laborious but equally fruitless search northward, and we consequently passed a most disagreeable afternoon.  Unable to eat, the cattle lay groaning, and the men extended on their backs watched some heavy thunderclouds which at length stretched over the sky; the very crows sat on the trees with their mouths open.

The thunder roared and the cloud broke darkly over us, but its liquid contents seemed to evaporate in the middle air.  At half-past seven a strong hot wind set in from the north-east and continued during the night.  Thermometer 90 degrees.  I was suddenly awoke from feverish sleep by a violent shaking of my tent, and I distinctly heard the flapping of very large wings, as if some bird, perhaps an owl, had perched upon it.

January 5.

The sun’s rays were scorching before his red orb had cleared the horizon, but ere he appeared the party was in motion.  No dew had fallen, yet even the distressed bullocks and horses seemed to participate in the hope which led us forward.  With one accord men and quadrupeds hastened from the inhospitable valley, common sufferers from the want of an element so essential to the living world.  Continuing on the same bearing of 24 degrees east of north we reached the highest part of some clear ground, at about two miles from where we had encamped, and from this spot I obtained an extensive view over the country before us.  The ground sloped for several miles towards a line of trees beyond which a steep ridge extended parallel to that line, and upwards to the mountains, evidently enclosing a channel of drainage, so that I ventured at once, on seeing this, to assure the men that I saw where we should meet with water.  The way to it was all downhill, open and smooth; while the Nundewar range, now to the southward, presented, on this northern side, a beautiful variety of summits.