river crossed by us on the 11th of August.  Meeting next an important branch falling into it from the south-east and being obliged to cross this, we effected the passage even with the carts, although the horses were nearly swimming.  We proceeded next along a continuous ridge of fine firm ground covered with excellent grass, and soon after we saw before us a smaller stream flowing under a broad grassy vale and, having crossed it also without difficulty, we encamped in one of the valleys beyond, where this tributary appeared to originate.  A finer country could scarcely be imagined:  enormous trees of the mimosa or wattle of which the bark is so valuable grew almost everywhere; and several new varieties of Caladenia were found today.  The blue, yellow, pink, and brown-coloured were all observed on these flowery plains.

MOUNTS BAINBRIGGE AND PIERREPOINT.

The sublime peaks of the Grampians began to appear above the trees to the northward, and two lower hills of trap-rock arose, one to the south-west the other north-west of our camp.  That to the northward I named Mount Bainbrigge, the other on the south Mount Pierrepoint.

September 13.

We broke up our camp early this morning and on reaching the highest ground we discovered a large lake on our left:  it was nearly circular, about half a mile in circumference and surrounded by high firm banks from which there was no visible outlet; I named it Lake Nivelle.  At a few miles beyond this lake the cheering sight of an open country extending to the horizon first appeared through the trees; and we soon entered on these fine downs where the gently undulating surface was firm under our horses’ feet and thickly clothed with excellent grass.

MOUNT STURGEON.

The cartwheels trundled merrily along, so that twelve miles were accomplished soon after midday, and we encamped near the extreme southern point of the Grampians, which I named Mount Sturgeon.  The weather was very wet but this troubled us the less as we had not known a day without rain for several months.

ASCEND MOUNT ABRUPT.

September 14.

I was most anxious to ascend Mount Abrupt, the first peak to the northward of Mount Sturgeon, that I might close my survey of these mountains and also reconnoitre the country before us.  This morning clouds hung upon the mountains however, and I could scarcely indulge a hope that the weather would be favourable for the purposed survey; nevertheless I bent my steps towards the mountain, having first set the carpenter to work to make an additional width of felloe to the narrow wheels of one of the carts, that it might pass with less difficulty over soft ground.  We soon came to a deep stream flowing not FROM but apparently TOWARDS the mountains; its general course being westward.  It was so deep that our horses could scarcely ford it without swimming.  Reeds grew about and the bottom was soft, although two kinds of rock appeared in its banks.  On the right was trap, on the left the ferruginous sandstone of which all these mountains consist.  We soon entered on the barren and sandy but firm ground at their base which, with its peculiar trees and shrubs, appeared so different from the grassy plains.  The banksia, the casuarina, and the hardy xanthorrhoea reminded us of former toils on the opposite side of these ranges.