We could now look on such fires with indifference, so harmless were these natives compared with those on the Darling, and the smoke now ascended in equal abundance from the furthest verge of the horizon.  It was impossible to discover the sources of streams or the direction of any ranges visible in the surrounding country; but upon the whole I concluded that the only practicable route for us homewards at that time would be through the forests and by passing as near as possible to the base of Mount Abrupt, the south-eastern extremity of the Grampians.  Several forest hills stood above the extensive level country extending from our camp to Mount Abrupt, but I could trace no connection between these hills, and was rather apprehensive that a soft and swampy country intervened.

CRATER OF MOUNT NAPIER.

I had this day leisure to examine the crater on this hill more particularly and found its breadth to be 446 feet; its average depth 80 feet.  The cellular rocks and lava stood nearly perpendicular around one portion of it; but there was a gap towards the west-north-west, on which side the crater was open almost to its greatest depth. (See Plate 22.) Several deep tongues of land descended from it to the west and north-west, forming the base of the hill, and had somewhat of the regularity of water-worn features.  No marks of decomposition appeared in the fragments projecting from the highest points, however much exposed.  On the contrary all the stringy twisted marks of fusion were as sharp and fresh as if the lava had but recently cooled.  One species of moss very much resembled the Orchilla, and I thought it not impossible that this valuable weed might be found here as it occurred on similar rocks at Teneriffe.  Just as I reached the highest summit this morning a bronze-wing pigeon arose from it; a circumstance rather remarkable considering that this was the only bird of that species seen on this side the mountains besides the one we saw on Pigeon Ponds on the 3rd of August.  On returning to the camp I found that the carts had arrived soon after my departure in the morning; but the men had the misfortune to lose two bullocks in crossing the swampy stream where we had been previously encamped.  One was suffocated in the mud, and the other having lain down in it could not be made to rise.  By observing the stars alpha and beta Centauri I ascertained the magnetic variation to be 3 degrees 2 minutes 45 seconds East, and by the sun’s altitude observed this day at Mount Napier I found the latitude of that hill to be 37 degrees 52 minutes 29 seconds South.

September 11.