Mr. Cunningham named those thick brushes of eucalyptus that spread in every direction around us eucalyptus dumosa, or the dwarf gum, as they never exceed twenty feet in height, and are generally from twelve to fifteen, spreading out into a bushy circle from their roots in such a manner that it is impossible to see farther than from one bush to the other; and these are very often united by a species of vine (cassytha), and the intermediate space covered with prickly wire-grass, rendering a passage through them equally painful and tedious

The low ranges of hills which we quitted yesterday morning we named Disappointment Hills, from our not being able to penetrate beyond them to the north-west or west, and also from our not finding any water on them; our hopes being thus disappointed of penetrating into the interior in the direction that I intended when we quitted Mount Brogden.

June 11.—­A party set forward to the northward to explore our to-morrow’s route, and to endeavour to find water at some eligible station.

They returned about four o’clock, having proceeded eight or ten miles.  Small holes of water were found in almost every gully.  They saw several traces of the natives, but none recent:  the dogs killed several kangaroo-rats, and some new species of plants were discovered.

June 12.—­Fine and clear.  At eight o’clock set forward on our journey along the west side of Peel’s range:  we proceeded to the north, inclining westerly for about ten miles; the travelling for the horses very bad, the ground being extremely soft, the description of the country the same.  The trees resembled bushes more than timber, being chiefly small cypresses, which is the prevailing wood.  The grass where we stopped was very bad, but the quantity and quality of the water compensated for it.  No recent marks of the natives having visited this part of the range.

June 13.—­Fine mild pleasant weather.  Proceeded along the foot of Peel’s range for about ten miles; we then inclined north-easterly, the range taking that direction, and after going about four miles farther we stopped for the evening:  the country was wretchedly barren and scrubby, and to the north-west and west a continued eucalyptus dumosa scrub, extending as far as the eye could reach from the occasional small hills which we passed in our route.

Water was found about two miles off in the range, affording a bare sufficiency for ourselves and horses.

June 14.—­Fine clear weather.  Proceeded on our journey northwards:  the first four or five miles was over a rocky broken country, consisting of low hills, rising westerly of Peel’s range.  After going about six miles and a half the country became more open and less rocky; as the grass was here better than at our last night’s halting-place, and the water convenient and tolerable, we resolved upon stopping, particularly as I intended resting the horses to-morrow; and I was fearful if I proceeded