extent than the rest, we, at ten miles, reached the creek, proportionately large and important looking.  The channel, however, at the point where we struck it, was deep, level, and dry; but I believe there is water in it not far off, for there were some red-breasted cockatoos in the trees, and native parrots on each side.  On the north side there is a part bearing off to the north-north-west.  The mirage on the plain to the south of the creek was stronger than I have before seen it.  There appear to be sheets of water within a few yards of one, and it looks sufficiently smooth and glassy to be used for an artificial horizon.  To the westward of the plains, some fine sandhills were visible, nearly in the direction in which the creek flowed.  To the north of the creek the country undergoes a great change.  At first there is a little earthy land subject to inundation.  The soil then becomes more sandy, with stony pans in which water collects after rain; the whole country is slightly undulating, lightly timbered, and splendidly grassed.  A number of small disconnected creeks are scattered about, many of which contained water protected from the sun and wind by luxuriant growth of fine grasses and small bushes.  We passed one or two little rises of sand and pebbles, on which were growing some trees quite new to me; but for the seed pods I should have taken them for a species of Casuarina, although the leaf-stalks have not the jointed peculiarities of those plants.  The trunks and branches are like the she oak, the leaves like those of a pine; they droop like a willow, and the seed is small, flat, in a large flat pod, about six inches by three-quarters of an inch.  As we proceeded, the country improved at every step.  Flocks of pigeons rose and flew off to the eastward, and fresh plants met our view on every rise; everything green and luxuriant.  The horse licked his lips, and tried all he could to break his nose-string in order to get at the food.  We camped at the foot of a sandy rise, where there was a large stony pan with plenty of water, and where the feed was equal in quality, and superior as to variety, to any that I have seen in Australia, excepting perhaps on some soils of volcanic origin.

Wednesday, 9th January, 1861.—­Started at five minutes past five, without water, trusting to get a supply of water from the rain that fell during the thunderstorm.  Traversed six miles of undulating plains covered with vegetation richer than ever.  Several ducks rose from the little creeks as we passed, and flocks of pigeons were flying in all directions.  The richness of the vegetation is evidently not suddenly arising from chance thunderstorms, for the trees and bushes on the open plain are everywhere healthy and fresh looking; very few dead ones are to be seen; besides which, the quantity of dead and rotten grass which at present almost overpowers in some places the young blades shows that this is not the first crop of the kind.  The grasses are numerous and