swamps for no better ground appeared on any side.  I hoped however to obtain a more general knowledge of the surrounding country from Mount Napier during clear weather, and thus to discover some way by which we might make our escape to the northward.  The carts did not overtake us this day, and I determined when they should arrive to overhaul them and throw away every article of weight not absolutely required for the rest of the journey.

AGAIN ASCEND MURROA AND PARTIALLY CLEAR THE SUMMIT.

September 9.

Once more I set out for Mount Napier, followed by a party of men with axes to clear its summit, at least sufficiently for the purpose of taking angles with the theodolite.  The night had been clear and the morning was fine, but as soon as I had ascended the hill rain-clouds gathered in the south-west and obscured the horizon on all sides; I could only see some points at intervals, but I took as many as I could after the men had cleared a station for the theodolite.  I perceived two very extensive lakes in the low country between Mount Napier and the south-eastern portion of the Grampian range, which terminated in the hill that I had previously named Mount Abrupt.  Between the largest of these waters (called by me Lake Linlithgow) and the mountains there appeared an extensive tract of open grassy land.

MOUNT ROUSE.

To the eastward at the distance of twelve miles I perceived a solitary hill, somewhat resembling Mount Napier, and named it Mount Rouse; but a haze still concealed the more distant country.  On reaching the camp where we arrived in the dark, I found that the carts had not even then returned; but as the barometer promised better weather I did not much regret their non-arrival as the delay would afford me another chance of having a clear day on Mount Napier.

September 10.

I again proceeded to the hill and obtained at length a clear and extensive view from it in all directions.  In the north the Grampian range, on all sides grand, presented a new and striking outline on this.  Far in the west I could recognise in slight breaks on a low horizon some features of the valley of Nangeela (Glenelg).

AUSTRALIAN PYRENEES.

Eastward the summits of a range I thought of naming the Australian Pyrenees were just visible over a woody horizon; and to the south-east were several detached hills and some elevated ridges of forest land, apparently near the coast.  One isolated hill resembling a haystack was very remarkable on the seashore.  This I named Mount Hotspur being the only elevation near Lady Julia Percy’s Isle (not Isles as laid down on the charts for there is but one, now called by whalers the Julian Island).  To the southward I could just distinguish the Laurence Islands but a haze upon the coast prevented me from seeing that of Lady Julia Percy.  Smoke arose from many parts of the lower country and showed that the inhabitants were very generally scattered over its surface.