A thick fog hung upon the mountain until half-past 10 A.M. and when I ascended an extremity I could see nothing of the distance.  I had however ascertained the nature of the country thus far, this having been the object of my visit and, as I had resolved from what I had seen to pass to the northward at no great distance from this hill, I returned with less reluctance, in hopes that I might have it in my power yet to revisit it during more favourable weather.  The day was squally with several very heavy showers, the wind being from the south-west.  We saw two natives at a fire when we were returning, and our friend Tommy readily advanced towards them but they immediately set up such loud and incessant cries that I called to him to come away.  After a ride of twenty-six miles across swamps and many muddy hollows we reached soon after sunset the camp which I had directed to be moved back to near where the boats lay.  I found that these had been drawn out of the swamp and one only brought forward as I wished to this camp and where I found all the carts once more ranged together.  The alteration of the boat carriage required a little more time, and I accordingly determined to halt one day that we might also have our horses shod, several shoes having come off on the rough rocks near Mount Napier.

MR. STAPYLTON’S EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-WEST.

September 6.

This day I requested Mr. Stapylton to examine the country in a north-west direction.  Some of the swamps crossed by me yesterday had appeared to fall westward and I wished to ascertain the situation and character of the ground dividing them from those discharging their waters eastward or towards the sea, as it was only by keeping on that dividing ground that I could hope to avoid them.  Mr. Stapylton proceeded nine miles north-west, crossing many swampy flats, and at length a small rivulet, all falling westward.  Beyond the rivulet he got upon some good hills connected with higher land.  Our best line of route homewards was in a north-east direction, or at rightangles to the route of Mr. Stapylton.

THE SHAW.

The great swamp already mentioned, being the channel and recipient of the Shaw, was somewhat in my way, and my object now was to trace out the dividing ground as we proceeded, so as to avoid the swamps on both sides.  By sunset the single boat was mounted in the shortened carriage, the whole being now so manageable and light that the boat could be lifted out by hand without block and tackle; and when on the carriage she could be drawn with ease wherever the light carts could pass.  Thus we got rid of that heavy clog on our progress over soft ground, the boats, by reserving but one; and we left the larger, keel upwards, at the swamp which had occasioned so much delay.

CONDUCT THE CARTS ALONG THE HIGHEST GROUND.

September 7.