The tracks of cattle were observed in various places on these plains, some very recent, perhaps not a month old.  A fish was also caught, of the species common both to the Lachlan and the Macquarie.  The soil of the country round, is far as we had time to examine it, was a rich, light, sandy loam, most abundantly covered with long broom-grass:  the rocks and stones on the hills were granite of various qualities.  Nothing was found new to the botanists; in truth, this is not a country adapted to their pursuits.

August 18.—­In pursuance of the intention formed yesterday of still continuing an easterly course, we again set forward at half past eight o’clock.

The general description of country was nearly the same as that which we passed over on preceding days; several pieces of limestone were found, which proved of good quality.  On going between three and four miles, ascending a range of hills which lay directly across our course, we had a prospect of a fine and spacious valley, bounded to the east by low grassy hills; there was every appearance of a watercourse being in it, but it was distant five or six miles, and our access to it was rendered difficult by lofty rocky hills forming deep and irregular glens, so narrow that I feared we should not be able to follow their windings, the rocks rising in such vast perpendicular shapes as seemingly to debar our passage.  After some little hesitation, we found a place down which the horses might descend in safety.  This being accomplished, we traversed the bottom of the glen along all its windings for nearly three miles and a half:  a fine stream of pure water was running through it.  Here, doubtful of being able before dark to gain the valley we were in search of we halted for the night.  It is impossible to imagine a more beautifully romantic glen than that in which we lay.  There was just level space on either side of the stream for the horses to travel along, the rocks rising almost perpendicularly from it to a towering height, covered with flowering acacia of various species, whose bright yellow flowers were contrasted and mingled with the more sombre foliage of the blue gum and cypress trees:  several new plants were also found, of beautiful descriptions.

The stream in the glen running north-easterly encouraged us to hope that we should ultimately be rewarded by finding a considerable stream in the valley, which was the cause of our deviation from our more direct course to Bathurst.  The glen which was to afford us access to it, we named Glenfinlass:  it might, perhaps, be properly termed the glen of many windings, as it was formed of several detached lofty hills; between each of which deep ravines were formed, communicating in times of rain their waters to this main one.