stone, and a very nauseous rind, at least in its unripe state.  To the westward of this belt of forest, we crossed extensive marshes covered with tender, though dry grass, and surrounded by low Ironstone ridges, openly timbered with stunted silver-leaved Ironbark, several white gums, and Hakea lorea, R. Br. in full blossom.  We had not seen the latter for a long time, although Grevillea mimosoides, with which it was generally associated, had been our constant companion.

Beyond the ridges, we came again on salt-water creeks, and saw sheets of sand, which looked like the sea from the distance.  I turned to the south and even south-east; and, finding no water, we were compelled to encamp without it, after a very long and fatiguing stage.  Whilst we were occupied in tethering and hobbling our horses, and eating our supper, Charley, whose watch it was, allowed the bullocks to stray in search of water, and the next morning he was so long absent whilst looking for them, that my exhausted companions became impatient; and I thought it advisable to send them back to our last camp with as many pack-horses as we could muster, myself remaining alone to guard the rest of our property.  They found three of the bullocks on the plain, in the most wretched condition, and met Charley returning with four others, which had made an immense round along all the salt-water creeks.  My companions, however, were fortunate enough to find a fresh water lagoon about three miles west of our last camp.  John and Charley returned after moon-rise, with three pack-horses, and arrived at my camp at a quarter to seven in the morning.  I had been in a state of the most anxious suspense about the fate of our bullocks, and was deeply thankful to the Almighty when I heard that they were all safe.  I had suffered much from thirst, having been forty-eight hours without water, and which had been increased by a run of two miles after my horse, which attempted to follow the others; and also from a severe pain in the head, produced by the impatient brute’s jumping with its hobbled forefeet on my forehead, as I was lying asleep with the bridle in my hand; but, after drinking three quarts of cold tea which John had brought with him, I soon recovered, and assisted to load our horses with the remainder of our luggage, when we returned to join our companions.  The weather was very hot during the day, but a cool breeze moved over the plains, and the night, as usual, was very cold.

Yesterday morning, John and Brown rode down to a hollow to look for water, whilst we were waiting for the bullocks.  At their return, they stated that they had come to two salt-water creeks, all full of salt, of which they brought several lumps.  I started immediately with Mr. Calvert and Brown, and, sure enough!  I found the broad bed of a creek one mass of the purest and whitest salt.  Lumps of it had crystallized round stems of grasses which the wind had blown into the water.  A little higher up the