CROSS A RANGE.

A hill on its bank consisted of a conglomerate in which the ferruginous matter predominated over the embedded fragments of quartz.  The ground beyond was hilly, and we at length ascended a ridge, apparently an extremity of a higher range.  On these hills grew the varieties of eucalypti known in the colony, such as ironbark, bluegum, and stringybark.  The lower grounds were so wet and soft, and the watercourses in them so numerous, that I was desirous to follow a ridge as long as it would take us in the direction in which we were proceeding; and this range answered well for the purpose.  Its crest consisted of ferruginous sandstone much inclined, the strike extending north-north-west.  I found the opposite side much more precipitous, and that it overlooked a much lower country.  In seeking a favourable line of descent for the carts, I climbed a still higher forest-hill on the left, which consisted chiefly of quartz-rock.  I not only recognised from that hill some lofty points to the eastward, and obtained angles on them, but I also perceived very rugged summits of a range at a great distance in the south-west.  Having selected among the various hills and dales before me that line of route which seemed the best and, having taken its bearing, I returned to conduct the carts by a pass along one side of that hill, having found it in a very practicable state for wheel-carriages.  At three miles beyond the pass we crossed a deep creek running westward which I named the Avoca, and we encamped on an excellent piece of land beyond it.

KANGAROOS NUMEROUS.

This day we had even better fortune in our field sports than on the one before for, besides three kangaroos, we killed two emus, one of which was a female and esteemed a great prize, for I had discovered that the eggs found in the ovarium were a great luxury in the bush; and afforded us a light and palatable breakfast for several days.

July 11.

At the end of two miles on this day’s journey we crossed a deep stream running westward.  The height of its banks above the water was twelve feet, and they were covered with a rich sward.  The land along the margins of the stream was as good as that we were now accustomed to see everywhere around us, so that it was no longer necessary to note the goodness or beauty of any place in particular.  At four miles we passed over a forest-hill composed of mica-slate and, after crossing another good valley at six miles, I saw before us, on gaining a low forest ridge, other grassy hills of still greater height, connected by a rock that cost us less trouble to ascend than I expected.

THE EARTH BECOMES SOFT AND IMPASSABLE, EVEN ON THE SIDES OF HILLS.

It was in the valleys now that we met most difficulty, the earth having become so soft and wet that the carts could be got through some places only by the tedious process of dragging each successively with the united strength of several teams.