Mount McConnell bears from this crossing-place about 241 1/2 degrees.  This is a fearful country and now that I see it I am not the least surprised at not finding the Upper Burdekin peopled and stocked.  A man has difficulty in getting along on foot, much more so with quadrupeds; as for vehicles of any kind quite out of the question anywhere in this quarter.  I am at present at a loss to conjecture how the dray, or drays and stock, found their way up the river so far, unless they went up west of Mount McConnell or found some more practicable route lower down the Burdekin, which latter I very much doubt.  The hill just opposite our encampment I have called the Poole after R.T.  Poole, Esquire, of South Australia.  We are encamped by a large gum tree, as the river takes an east by south course for some distance.  The most rugged country a man would ever wish to behold; and to add to our difficulties in swimming across numbers of huge alligators are here close to the camp.  I ascended the hill just behind our camp with much difficulty to view the country ahead and about me.  It was exceedingly stony and rocky.  From it an extensive view, but much higher hills were in the distance in various directions.  It is about three-quarters of a mile distant from our camp and bears from it 240 degrees; Mount McConnell bears 242 1/2 degrees.  A conspicuous dark mount, from eight to ten miles off, bears 34 1/2, round the north end of which the Burdekin passes.  The furthest point of the Burdekin seen along its course, about four miles off, at which place it suddenly runs to the northward 63 1/2 degrees.  A considerable sweep of the river between this and Mount McConnell bears 216 1/2 degrees from five to six miles distant.  A high peak, and close by it a high mountain in the same line of ranges about seven to eight miles off across the river, bear respectively 93 1/2 and 104 1/2 degrees.  Beyond the north end (distant) of the above range is to be seen another dark mountain bearing 76 1/2 degrees.  Killed another unfortunate horse (poor old Joseph Buggins).  The hill on which I now stand I have called Mount Bertram after Alexander Bertram, Esquire, of Sandhurst, Victoria.  The mount that bears 104 1/2 degrees from this, beyond the river, I have called Mount Haverfield after ——­ Haverfield, Esquire, of Melbourne.  The peak that bears 93 1/2 degrees I have called the Grierson after R. Grierson, Esquire, of Great Bourke Street West, Melbourne.  The conspicuous mountain that bears 34 1/2 degrees I have called Mount Roberts after G. Roberts, Esquire, of the Murray, New South Wales.

Sunday, July 27.

No passage over the ridge or mountains practicable.  A raft constructed of such materials as we can get here floated but indifferently with our canteens, one leaky air pillow, and our boiling vessels inverted, some of which were not air-tight, is ready for crossing tomorrow, the things and the men that swim but indifferently; many of the alligators close by in the same reach.