The party arrived at Glendarewel, the farm attached to Brownlow Hill, on the 5th.  I resumed my journey alone on the 8th.  M’Leay had still some few arrangements to make, so that I dispensed with his immediate attendance.  He overtook me, however, sooner than I expected, on the banks of the Wallandilly.  I had encamped under the bluff end of Cookbundoon, and, having been disappointed in getting bearings when crossing the Razor Back, I hoped that I should be enabled to connect a triangle from the summit of Cookbundoon, or to secure bearings of some prominent hill to the south.  I found the brush, however, so thick on the top of the mountain, that I could obtain no satisfactory view, and and M’Leay, who accompanied me, agreed with me in considering that we were but ill repaid for the hot scramble we had had.  Crossing the western extremity of Goulburn Plains on the 15th, we encamped on a chain of ponds behind Doctor Gibson’s residence at Tyranna, and as I had some arrangements to make with that gentleman, I determined to give both the men and animals a day’s rest.  I availed myself of Doctor Gibson’s magazines to replace such of my provisions as I had expended, as I found that I could do so without putting him to any inconvenience; and I added two of his men to the party, intending to send them back, in case of necessity, or, when we should have arrived at that point from which it might appear expedient to forward an account of my progress and ultimate views, for the governor’s information.

On the 17th we struck the tents, and, crossing the chain of ponds near which they had been pitched, entered a forest track, that gave place to barren stony ridges of quartz formation.  These continued for six or seven miles, in the direction of Breadalbane Plains, upon which we were obliged to stop, as we should have had some difficulty in procuring either water or food, within any moderate distance beyond them.  The water, indeed, that we were obliged to content ourselves with was by no means good.  Breadalbane Plains are of inconsiderable extent, and are surrounded by ridges, the appearance of which is not very promising.  Large white masses of quartz rock lie scattered over them, amongst trees of stunted growth.  Mr. Redall’s farm was visible at the further extremity of the plains from that by which we had entered them.  It would appear that these plains are connected with Goulburn Plains by a narrow valley, that was too wet for the drays to have traversed.

Breadalbane plains.

Doctor Gibson had kindly accompanied us to Breadalbane Plains.  On the morning of the 18th he returned to Tyranna, and we pursued our journey, keeping mostly on a W.S.W. course.  From the barren hills over which we passed, on leaving the plains, we descended upon an undulating country, and found a change of rock, as well as of vegetation, upon it.  Granite and porphyry constituted its base.  An open forest, on which the eucalyptus mannifera alone prevailed, lay on either side of us, and although the soil was coarse, and partook in a great measure of the decomposition of the rock it covered, there was no deficiency of grass.  On the contrary, this part of the interior is decidedly well adapted for pasturing cattle.