the southward, after it had passed the range.  The flats increased on both side of the river, and were openly timbered with box and narrow-leaved Ironbark.  The rock near our yesterday’s camp was talc-schist.  Farther down sienite was observed, which contained so much hornblende as to change occasionally into hornblende rock, with scattered crystals of quartz.  Granite and pegmatite were round some lagoons near the creek from the southward.  The clustered fig tree of the Burdekin, became again more frequent; but Sarcocephalus was the characteristic tree of the river.  The Acacia of Expedition Range and of the upper Lynd, grew to a comparatively large size in the open forest.  We observed a cotton tree (Cochlospermum), covered with large yellow blossoms, though entirely leafless; and we could not help thinking how great an ornament this plant would be to the gardens of the colony.

As the water-holes became larger, water-fowl became more plentiful; and Brown succeeded in shooting several wood-ducks and a Malacorhyncus membranaceus.  The bean of the Mackenzie was very abundant in the sandy bed of the river; we roasted and ate some of its fruit; it was, however, too heavy, and produced indigestion:  Mr. Phillips pounded them, and they made an excellent substitute for coffee, which I preferred to our tea, which, at that time, was not very remarkable for its strength.

June 6.—­We travelled about nine miles west by north to latitude 17 degrees 30 minutes 47 seconds.  The first part of the stage was over an undulating country timbered with box and Ironbark; but the latter part was hilly and mountainous:  the mountains were so rocky, where they entered the bed of the river, that we were obliged to leave its banks, and travel over a very difficult country.

On the small flats, the apple-gum grew with a few scattered Moreton Bay ash trees; on the bergues of the river we found the white cedar (Melia azedarach), Clerodendron; an asclepiadaceous shrub with large triangular seed-vessels; and, on the hills, the blood-wood and stringy-bark.  The rock, as far as I examined it, was of porphyry of great hardness, and composing hills of an almost conical form.

June 7.—­The same difficult country not only continued, but rather increased.  Charley told me last night, on his return from a walk, that he had found sandstone.  To-day we travelled over porphyries like those of the last stage:  but, about four miles from the last camp, steep sandstone rocks with excavations appeared on our left, at some distance from the river, from which they were separated by porphyry; but, farther on, they approached the river on both sides, and formed steep slopes, which compelled us to travel along the bed of the river itself.  Two large creeks joined the river from the southward, one of which was running, and also made the river run until the stream lost itself in the sandy bed.  At the end of the stage, however, the stream re-appeared, and we were fairly on the fourth flowing river of the expedition:  for the Condamine, although not constantly, was raised by rains, and showed the origin of its supply, by the muddy nature of its waters; the Dawson commenced running where we left it; and the Burdekin, with several of its tributaries, was running as far as we followed it.  The waters of the Dawson, the Burdekin, and the Lynd, were very clear, and received their constant supply from springs.