ENCAMP ON A RUNNING STREAM.

Following it down I almost immediately perceived a ravine before me, and at a mile and a quarter from the first fall of the ground I crossed a chain of fine ponds in a valley, where we finally encamped on a fine stream flowing to the south-west over granite rocks.*

(Footnote.  Consisting of white felspar and quartz and silvery mica.)

FINE COUNTRY.

Thus suddenly were we at length relieved from all the difficulties of travelling in mud.  We had solid granite beneath us; and instead of a level horizon the finely rounded points of ground presented by the sides of a valley thinly wooded and thickly covered with grass.  This transition from all that we sought to avoid to all we could desire in the character of the country was so agreeable that I can record that evening as one of the happiest of my life.  Here too the doctor reported that no men remained on the sick-list, and thus we were in all respects prepared for going forward and making up for so much time lost.

DISCOVERY OF A GOOD RIVER.  THE GLENELG.

July 31.

We now moved merrily over hill and dale, but were soon however brought to a full stop by a fine river flowing, at the point where we met it, nearly south-west.  The banks of this stream were thickly overhung with bushes of the mimosa, which were festooned in a very picturesque manner with the wild vine.  The river was everywhere deep and full and, as no ford could be found, we prepared to cross it with the boats.  But such a passage required at least a day and, when I saw the boats afloat, I was tempted to consider whether I might not explore the further course of this river in them and give the cattle some rest.  It was likely, I imagined, soon to join another where we might meet with less obstruction.  During the day everything was got across save the empty carts and the boat-carriage, our camp being thus established on the left bank.  One bullock was unfortunately drowned in attempting to swim across, having got entangled in the branches of a sunken tree which, notwithstanding a careful search previously made in the bottom of the stream, had not been discovered.

The river was here, on an average, 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep.

GRANITIC SOIL.

Granite* protruded in some places, but in general the bold features of the valley through which this stream flowed were beautifully smooth and swelling; they were not much wooded but on the contrary almost clear of timber and accessible everywhere.  The features were bold and round but only so inclined that it was just possible to ride in any direction without obstruction; a quality of which those who have been shut up among the rocky gullies of New South Wales must know well the value.  I named this river the Glenelg after the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, according to the usual custom.

(Footnote.  This granite varied consequently in the size of its component parts which sometimes, especially in quartz and felspar, exceeded a foot square, and in this I found distinctly imbedded friable masses, apparently of sandstone, but which proved to consist of a very fine-grained grey granite, approaching in character to mica-slate.)