a ford across it; but after a few rather ludicrous plunges and falls upon the green slippery rocks I succeeded in detecting a tolerably good one.  Our line of route now lay across some elevated open plains, clothed with spinifex, and thinly wooded with a large species of Eucalyptus.  We saw here numerous signs of the natives, who had been cutting steps in the trees for the purpose of hunting opossums.  These open plains extended for about two miles, and we then reached another small ravine, with a rapid stream running through it.  A very good route brought us across this slight descent and stream; and from this point no further impediment of any consequence appeared to lie in our way.  The direction in which I now wished to travel presented a series of rocky, sandy plains, thinly wooded, and affording a scanty sufficiency of food for the ponies.

Exhaustion from fatigue.  Cold rains.

During the time I was searching for this route the rain had fallen in torrents, and the quantity of ground I had walked over was so considerable that I was exhausted; riding was quite impossible in these excursions as, in many places where the ground was covered with loose rocks overgrown with a vegetation which concealed treacherous cavities, it was necessary to pass across it two or three times before I could determine whether a horse could move over it or not.  Today I found myself completely knocked up, and felt certain that I could not for many days longer bear up against such continued fatigues.  On my return to the camp I found all prepared for a start tomorrow; but many of the horses were so ill as to be incapable of carrying more than half a load.

February 10.

We moved off at daybreak and, having reached the ravine, set to work to form a pathway down the descent, and up the ascent on the other side, under the additional disadvantage of heavy rain.  The sudden transition from the rays of a burning sun to this cold bath made my teeth chatter as if I had a tertian ague.  When half our work was completed we breakfasted in the beautiful ravine amidst the dark luxuriant vegetation of the tropics, formed by the pandanus, bamboo, and palm.

After breakfast the men recommenced their labour on the road.  About two P.M. it was completed, and we then loaded the ponies and set out.  The poor animals were however so weak that it was almost impossible to get them to move; they stumbled and fell repeatedly, and thus thereby not only injured themselves but so delayed our movements that we only made three miles and a half during the day, and then halted for the night on very elevated land, and in a good position, for we were on a little sandy rise, along the base of which ran a stream, distant about one hundred yards.

Worst difficulties surmounted.