It is a middle-sized tree, of irregular growth, with white bark; but the wood, not being free grained, was unfit for splitting.  Lower down, water was found, without exception, in all the creeks, and was most abundant at the edge of the level country to the eastward, where the ridges disappear, by more or less gradual slopes.  Travelling across these sandstone ranges, with their thick vegetation, and deep gullies and valleys, was exceedingly difficult.  The bullocks upset their loads frequently in clambering up and down the rocky slopes, and our progress was consequently very slow.  This induced me to give up the westerly course, and to look for a better-travelling country to the eastward; supposing, at the same time, that water would be found more abundant, as we approached the sea-coast.

I, therefore, returned to the camp, and on the 10th February, I travelled about six miles N. N. E., over several ranges and creeks, and came to a creek well supplied with water.  On the following day, the 11th February, I travelled down this creek, and reached a flat country of great extent, lightly timbered with Ironbark, Bastard-box, and Poplar-gum; but the water disappeared in the sandy bed of the creek, which had assumed a very winding course, and we had to encamp on a shallow pool left on the rocks, which, for a short distance, formed again the bed of the creek.  Our latitude was 22 degrees 23 minutes, about thirteen miles E. N. E. from our camp of the 8th February.

Feb. 12.—­We continued travelling along the creek, and halted at very fine water-holes, within some Bricklow scrub, which here made its appearance again.  The stage did not exceed six miles east; but I did not venture to proceed farther until I had examined the country in advance, which did not look very promising.  I named this creek “Hughs’s Creek,” after—­Hughs, Esq., of Darling Downs.

The grass-tree grew very abundantly on the rocky sandstone ranges; and the Grevillea (G. ceratophylla, R. Br.?) with pinnatifid leaves, was not less common:  on the upper part of Hughs’s Creek, we first met with the drooping tea-tree (Melaleuca Leucodendron?), which we found afterwards at every creek and river; it was generally the companion of water, and its drooping foliage afforded an agreeable shade, and was also very ornamental.  The slopes towards the flat country were sandy and rotten; but there were some fine hollows, with rich green grass, which very probably formed lagoons during the wet season.  The whole country was very similar to that of Zamia Creek:  it had the same extensive flats, the same geological features, the same vegetation, the same direction of the creek to the east and north-east.  Just before the creek left the hills, it was joined by another; and, at their junction, sandstone cropped out, which was divided by regular fissures into very large rectangular blocks.  These fissures had been widened by the action of water, which made them resemble a range of large tombstones, the singular appearance of which induced me to call this, which joins Hughs’s Creek, “Tombstone Creek.”  This formation was very remarkable, and occupied a very considerable space.  The strata of the sandstone dip towards the east and north-east off Peak Range; but, in other localities, I observed a dip towards the range.