course; and, about three miles further, to the W.N.W., we came to another creek, and numerous palm-trees growing near it.  Following up the latter, we found a fine water-hole surrounded by reeds, and which is probably fed by a spring.  The forest was well grassed; and a small Acacia, about fifteen or twenty feet high, with light green bipinnate leaves (from which exuded an amber-coloured eatable gum), formed groves and thickets within it.  A Capparis, a small stunted tree, was in fruit:  this fruit is about one inch long and three-quarters of an inch broad, pear-shaped and smooth, with some irregular prominent lines.  Capparis Mitchelii has a downy fruit, and is common in the scrubs.  A small trailing Capparis, also with oblong eatable fruit, was first observed on a hill near Ruined Castle Creek, in lat. 25 degrees 10 minutes:  we met with it frequently afterwards.  We were encamped in the shade of a fine Erythrina; and the Corypha-palm, Tristania, the flooded-gum, the silver-leaved Ironbark, Tripetelus, and a species of Croton, grew around us.  A species of Hypochaeris and of Sonchus, were greedily eaten by our horses; the large Xeranthemum grew on the slopes, among high tufts of kangaroo grass.  A species of Borage (Trichodesma zeylanica), with fine blue flowers, was first seen here; and the native raspberry, and Ficus muntia, were in fruit.  In the afternoon, I went with Brown up the range, following the bed of our creek; and, having ascended a spur of sandstone, with gullies on each side, we came to a large basaltic mountain, clothed with fine open timber, and a great number of arborescent Zamias.

Dec. 10.—­Accompanied by Charley, I went in search of a passage over the range.  We ascended several hills in order to obtain general views, and found that the level country, over which we had travelled during the last two days, was of less extent than I had anticipated.  To the north-east by east, ranges rise with the characteristic outlines of the basalt and phonolite,—­in peaks and long stretched flat-topped hills, with undulations openly timbered extending at their base.  One valley descended to the north-north-east; another to the northward.  The principal range has a direction from south-west to north-east; it is flat on the top, is well grassed and openly timbered; but, to the northward, it becomes scrubby, and also changes its geological character.  After having crossed the range—­without any great difficulty, with the exception of some steep places—­we came on gullies going down to the north-west; and, from the rocky head of one of them, the whole country to the west and northwest burst upon us.  There was a fine valley, a flat country, plains, isolated long-stretched hills, and distant ranges; the highest points of the latter bearing 77 degrees E. and 76 degrees W.; and, as I hoped to reach them by Christmas time, I called them “Christmas Ranges.”  Not being able to discover a good slope on which our bullocks could travel, I descended