August 16.—­We had hardly begun to lade the horses, when the rain recommenced with greater violence than in the night, and effectually prevented us from proceeding.  The country presents sufficient obstructions to our progress, not to render the delay caused by a day’s rain a matter of much inquietude.  The loss of time is of little consideration, when compared with the soft and boggy ground which such heavy falls leave.  A species of banksia was seen to-day under the same meridian as on the Macquarie.  It would seem that particular productions of the vegetable as well as of the mineral kingdom run in veins nearly north and south through the country.  This peculiarity has been remarked of other plants, besides the species of banksia.

August 17.—­Our course this day led us over a barren, rocky country, consisting of low stony ranges, divided by valleys of pure sand, and usually wet and marshy:  latterly we appear to be descending from a considerable height, to a lower country to the north-east.  The whole was a mere scrub covered with dwarf iron barks, apple trees, and small gums; the soil scarcely any thing but sand, on which grass grew in single detached roots.  The horses fell repeatedly in the course of the day, and they were now so weak that they sank at every soft place.  Between four and five o’clock, after travelling about ten hours, we stopped at a small drain of water for the night, having accomplished nearly eleven miles.  In our track we saw no signs of natives, and the country seemed abandoned of every living thing.  Silence and desolation reigned around.

August 18.—­It is impossible to describe in adequate language the different trying obstructions we encountered during this day’s journey:  after meeting and overcoming many minor difficulties of bog and quicksand, we had accomplished nearly eleven miles, and were looking out for a place to rest, when we entered a very thick forest of small iron barks which had been lately burnt; and their black stems and branches, with the dull bluish colour of their foliage, gave the whole a singularly dismal and gloomy appearance.  So thick was the forest that we could hardly turn our horses, nor could the sun’s rays penetrate to the sandy desert on which these trees grew.  Without the usual appearances of a bog, our horses were in an instant up to their bellies, and the difficulties we had in extricating them would hardly obtain belief.  In this dilemma, scarcely able to see which way to turn, we traversed the margin of this extensive quicksand for nearly three miles in a direction contrary to our course, before we could find firm ground or water for the horses, which we did not effect till sunset; and then (as for the last three days) there was nothing for them to eat but prickly grass, which possesses no nourishing qualities.  This fare, after their hard labour, reduces them daily.