been touched.  The sides of the hills were of the same black mould, stony towards their summits, and the higher eminences rocky.  The rocks were of a very hard whinstone, the stratum nearly perpendicular, or rather standing up in regular basaltic figures, similar to those on Loadstone Hill.  These valleys and hills abound with kangaroos, and on the plains numbers of emus were seen.  We seemed to be once more in the land of plenty, and the horses as well as men had cause to rejoice at the change, from the miserable harassing deserts through which we had been struggling for the last six weeks, to this beautiful and fertile country.  From the hill on which we stood, bearings were taken to the most remarkable points and objects connected with the survey; and the most distinguished, in point of beauty or singularity of appearance, were honoured with distinctive appellations.  The valley down which we had travelled was called Lushington’s Valley (after the Secretary to His Majesty’s Treasury); the extensive one to the north-east, leading to Hardwicke’s Range, Camden Valley (after the noble Marquis); the plains to the east and south-east were honoured with the name of Lord Liverpool; the hills bounding Lushington’s Valley, on the south side, Vansittart’s Hills, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer; while several less remarkable hills were designated after persons endeared to our recollections by early friendship.  A great variety of new plants rewarded the exertions of our botanist, in ascending Mount Tetley; and many, hitherto only known on the coast, were discovered on the hills and in the valleys:  the acacia pendula was also seen; it had hitherto been the usual characteristic of wet lands, but it was here growing on the most dry and elevated situations.  The timber on the plains and hills was chiefly those species of eucalyptus called apple tree, box, and gum trees; and on the banks of the rivulet were a few large casuarina.  So much time was consumed in ascending hills and examining the country, that we did not go more than ten miles on a direct course:  it was however time well bestowed.  Three native fires were seen in Lushington’s Valley, but the whole of this part of the country appears to be very thinly inhabited; a few wandering families making up the total of its population.  The small rivulet in Lushington’s Valley was named Yorke’s Rivulet, in honour of Sir J. S. Yorke.

August 27.—­Pursuing our course to the eastward, towards the range of low hills bordering the plains in that quarter, between five and six miles, we came to a fine stream of water, crossing the plains from the south to the north.  There had been a flood in this rivulet within these few days, marks of which were observed about fifteen feet high; but still within the banks.  It appears that the plains are chiefly flooded from Yorke’s Rivulet, the remaining waters of which, together with rain-water, were in several places still standing on the surface; but not to the extent that the horizontal level of these