on the plains along the scrub; and Charley fired unsuccessfully at a fine “old man.”  I saw one emu, and Charley a drove of ten more.  The country was remarkably rich in various kinds of game; and I was very sorry that we were not better sportsmen, to avail ourselves of so favourable a circumstance.  We found a passage for our bullocks at the west side of the valley along which we had come down; the ascent was steep, but practicable.  We followed the spur up to the principal range, where we found some difficulty in heading some steep gullies, which come up to the highest crest of the mountains.  After some tiresome riding, I was fortunate enough to hit the head of the creek on which our party was encamped; and, following it down—­over loose rocks, large boulders, and occasional steep falls—­accompanied by my excellent little horse, which willingly followed wherever I led, I came into a more open country; and the report of a gun gave me the pleasing assurance that our camp was at no great distance.  My Blackfellow quitted me on the range, as he had done before, on several similar occasions; and it was too evident that I could not rely upon him in times of difficulty and danger.  Within the scrub on the range, we found five or six huts, lately constructed, of the natives; they come here probably to find honey, and to catch rock-wallabies, which are very numerous in the sandstone gullies.  In the gully which I descended, a shrub with dark-green leaves was tolerably frequent; its red berries, containing one or two seeds, were about the size of a cherry, and very good eating when ripe.  The new Grevillea, before mentioned, was also found here growing on a sandy soil; and a species of Clematis tied the shrubs into an almost impenetrable maze.  The arborescent Zamia was as frequent here as on the slopes and flat tops of the basaltic mountains; it grows from six to ten feet high, and even higher, and is about a foot in diameter; and often, its dark scaly trunk, borne to the ground by the winds, raises its fine head like a reclining man.

There was a thunder-storm to the south-east and east on the 10th December.  These thunder-storms are generally very local, belonging to distant valleys and ranges.  Much rain had fallen at the foot of the range, but we had very little of it.  Several of my companions suffered by eating too much of the cabbage-palm.  The Blackfellows will doubtless wonder why so many noble trees had been felled here.  One of our kangaroo-dogs followed a kangaroo, and did not return; a severe loss, as we have only one left out of five, and this one is young and diseased.  Our little terrier keeps very well.