any other part, and contain fragments and slabs of sandstone of various size and breadth, without a particle of soil or of sand between them.  It is to be observed that the edges of these slabs, which were perfect parallelograms, were unbroken, and that they were as clean as if they had only just been turned out of the hand of the mason.  We counted thirteen of these hollows in one spot about twenty-five feet in diameter, but they are without doubt of periodical formation, since a single hollow was observed lower than the summit of the hill upon its south extremity, that had evidently long been exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and had a general coating of moss over it.

Continue the journey; down new year’s creek.

We left Oxley’s Table Land on the morning of the 31st of January, pursuing a northern course through the brush and across a large plain, moving parallel to the smaller hill, and keeping it upon our left.  The soil upon this plain differed in character from that on the plains to the eastward, and was much freer from sand.  We stopped to dine at a spot, whence Oxley’s Table Land bore by compass, S. by W., distant about twelve miles.  Continuing our journey, at 2 p.m. we cleared the plain, and entered a tract covered with the polygonum junceum, on a soil evidently the deposit of floods.  Box-trees were thinly scattered over it, and among the polygonum, the crested pigeons were numerous.  These general appearances, together with a dip of country to the N.N.W., made us conclude that we were approaching the creek, and we accordingly intersected it on a N.N.E. course, at about three miles’ distance from where we had dined.  It had, however, undergone so complete a change, and had increased so much in size and in the height of its banks, that we were at a loss to recognize it.  Still, with all these favourable symptoms, there was not a drop of water in it.  But small shells lay in heaps in its bed, or were abundantly scattered over it; and we remarked that they differed from those on the plains of the Macquarie.  A circumstance that surprised us much, was the re-appearance of the flooded-gum upon its banks, and that too of a large size.  We had not seen any to the westward of the marshes, and we were, consequently, led to indulge in more sanguine expectation as to our ultimate success than we had ever ventured to do before.

The party crossed to the right bank of the creek, and then moved in a westerly direction along it in search of water.  A brush extended to our right, and some broken stony ground, rather elevated, was visible, to which Mr. Hume rode; nor did he join me again until after I had halted the party for the night.

Distressed for water.

My search for water had been unsuccessful, and the sun had set, when I came upon a broad part of the creek that appeared very favourable for an encampment, as it was encompassed by high banks, and would afford the men a greater facility of watching the cattle, that I knew would stray away if they could.