things, the aborigines seemed to entertam a sort of superstitious belief in the virtues of all kinds of physic. I found that this distressed tribe were also strangers in the land' to which they had now resorted. Their meekness, as strangers, and their utter ignorance of the country they were in, was very unusual in natives, and particularly excited our sympathy, when contrasted with the prouder bearing and intelligence of the native of the plain who had undertaken to be my guide." On the 6th they continued their journey, crossing low ridges of rich earth, branches from high ranges on their left, and came upon a portion of the plains. The wide expanse of open level country extended in a northerly direction as far as human vision could reach, and, being clear of trees, presented a remarkable contrast to the settled districts of the colony. The soil of these plains looked well, the grass good, and herds of cattle, browsing at a distance, adding pastoral beauty to what had been recently a desert. Leaving the cart track they had been following, and which led to some cattle station, the party again entered the woods, and turned a little to the north, their object being to reach the bank of Peel's River at Wallamoul, which had been laid down as holding a northerly course, and therefore likely to lead to any greater river flowing to the north-west, as reported by "the Barber." Crossing a deep dry bed, called by the natives "Nazabella," they encamped near some of its ponds, at a shady spot where the long grass had been burnt, in other parts reaching to the heads of the horses, and remained there another day to recruit-" the rich soil of the valley being nearly as deep as the bed of the rivulet, which is twenty feet lower than the surface." "Dec. 8,-A road or track which we found at about half a-mile east from the camp, led us very directly on the bearing of 335 to Loder's station, which was distant about six miles from our encamp. ment. Here stood a tolerable house of slabs, with a good garden adjoining, in charge of an old stockman and his equally aged wife. This man was named by the blacks Longanay' (Long Ned.) This station was situated on a fine run. ning stream called the Cuerindie, and the state of the sheep and cattle about it proved the excellence of the pasture. We had passed the limits of the territory open to the selections of settlers, in cross ing the Liverpool range; and the more remote country is not likely to come into the market soon: such stations as this of Loder were held, therefore, only by the right of pre-occupancy, which has been so generally recognized between the colof such stations are sometimes disposed onists themselves, that the houses, &c. of for valuable considerations, although the land is still liable to be sold by the Government. A native named Jem my,' whom I met with here, agreed to conduct me, by the best way for carts, to Wallamoul on the Pecl, for which service I undertook to reward him with a tomahawk. It was necessary that we should ford the Cuerindie, which flows to the north-west, and, notwithstanding the steepness of its banks, we cffected a pas sage without difficulty, guided by Jemmy.' One mile beyond this, another creek lay in our way. It was smaller, but much more formidable and difficult to cross, for the bottom and banks conon the surface, yet soft and yielding besisted of blue mud or clay, half-hardened low. It was not without considerable delay that we effected the passage of this, for a wheel of one of the carts stuck fast in the mud, and it was necessary to dig the earth from before the other wheel before we could release the vehic!c. At length every thing was got across, and we, fortunately, met no other impediment for six miles. We then crossed the channels of two rivulets, neither of which At half-past four contained any water. wished to encamp, and the natives having at length found a green mantling pool in the bed of the united channel of the two water-courses, there we pitched our tents at a place called 'Burandua.' Bad as the water seemed to be, 'Jemmy' soon obtained some that was both clear and cool, by digging a hole in the sand near the pool. This was a quiet and sensible fellow; he steadily pursued the course he recommended for the "wheelbarrows" as he termed our carts; answering all my queries briefly and deci dedly, either by a nod of assent, or the negative monosyllable bel,' and shake of the head. His walk was extremely light and graceful; his shoulders were neatly knit, and the flowing luxuriance of his locks was restrained by a bit of half-inch cord, the two ends hanging, like a double queue, half-way down his back. He was followed by his gin and a child, which she, although it was old enough to walk, usually carried on her back. "The air of the evening was very refreshing, and the sun set with peculiar brilliancy. We had travelled during the whole day on good soil, and the ploughed that the direction of all the water-courses was towards the north-west, and it was evident that they occasionally overflowed their banks." 66 appearance of the surface was very re- ing around their route, the conflamarkable in various places, particularly gration having been quenched by a little to the South of Loder's station, a seasonable fall of rain. At Wallawhere the hollow seemed to terminate in moul, Jemmy," the native guide, a common channel. I noticed, also, received his promised tomahawk, and so did "Monday," his brother, who met him there; and his place was supplied by a native, named “Mr Brown," who agreed to accompany the party, on condition that he should receive blankets for himself and his "gin," ," and a tomahawk, or small hatchet, so valuable a substitute for their stone-hatchet, that almost all the natives within reach of the colony have them, even where the white man is known as yet only by name, and as the manufacturer of this most important of all implements to the Australian natives. On the 13th, all arrangements being completed, the encampment was broken up, and the party proceeded into the Terra Incognita, in pursuit of the course of the Peel river. "We soon advanced, with feelings of intense interest, into the country before us, and impressed with the responsibility of commencing the first chapter of its history. Al was new and nameless there, but by this beginning we were to open a way for the many other beginnings of civilised man, and thus extend his dominion over the last holds of barbarism." On the 11th they reached the bank of the Peel at Wallamoul, the lowest cattle station upon the river, occupied by Mr Brown, who had there about 1600 head of cattle. On the 9th they had passed over an open and grassy plain, skirted with wood, where there was abundant water in a channel called by the natives "Carrabobbila ;" but the water, at the spot where they encamped, was hot and muddy, from which the blacks, however, knew well how to obtain a cool and clear draught, by first scratching a hole in the soft sand under the pool, thus making a filter, and then throwing into it some tufts of long grass, through which they sucked the cooler water thus purified from the sand or gravel. The gin quenched her thirst with still greater satisfaction, by rushing into a pool, and drinking as she sat immersed up to the lip. On reaching the top of the range separating the basin of the Peel from that of the waters falling to the Liverpool plains, they were agreeably surprised to find that the opposite side of the hills, and the whole face of the country beyond them, presented a very different appearance from that through which they had passed. A gently sloping extremity lay before them for a good many miles on their proposed route, and there were no intervening gullies. The range they had crossed seemed to extend from the Liverpool range to the northward, as far as could then be seen; but the native guide said that it soon terminated on the river "Callala," or Peel, whose course, he said, turned westward, a fact corroborating, so far, the statements of "the Barber." During several days of this journey, before their arrival on the 11th at Wallamoul, the fire was one day's advance of the party, and thus the flames having cleared every thing away, their camp was not exposed to danger. But on the 9th the country seemed all on fire around them; and the hills they crossed on the 10th had been all in a blaze the night before, and trees lay smok On the 16th, they encamped on the river Nammoy. This stream, having received the Conadilly from the left bank, had here an important appearance; the breadth of the water was 100 feet, its mean depth 11 3-4 feet; the current half-a-mile an hour, and the height of the banks above the water 37 feet. The course of the Maluerindie, from the junction of the Peel to that of the Conadilly, is somewhat to the southward of west. Below the junction the well-known native name is Nammoy. Their route from Wallamoul to the Nammoy had lain through tracts of promise the bank, at the ford of Wallenburra, presenting a section of at least 50 feet of rich earth-and on an extensive open track, named Mulluba, the undulations were as great as those which occur between London and Hampstead, the whole bearing a remarkable resemblance to an enclosed and cultivated country. The ridges exactly resembled furrows in fallow land; and trees grew in rows, as if connected with field enclosures-parts where bushes or grass had been recently burned looking red or black, and thus contributing to the appearance of cultivation. The soil was indeed well worthy of cultivation, for it consisted of a rich black mould, so loose and deep, that it yawned in cracks as if for want of feet to tread it down. But the want was of water -one small and dry channel appearing to be the only line of drainage in wet weather from the extensive open country of Mulluba. But it could not fail to strike Major Mitchell, that much might be done to remedy the natural disadvantages, whether of a superfluity of water lodging on the plains in rainy seasons, or of too great scarcity of moisture in dry weather, by cutting channels on the lines of natural drainage, which would serve to draw off the water from the plains, and concentrate and preserve a sufficient supply for use in time of drought. A few hours after leaving the encampment on the Nammoy, the party came on a very large stock-yard, which the natives said had belonged to "George the Barber." They saw, besides, the remains of a house, and the "gunyas," or huts, of a numerous encampment of natives. The bones of bullocks were strewed about in great abundance, plainly enough showing the object of the stock-yard, and that of the Barber's alliance with the aborigines. The whole country was on fire, and though the guide frequently drew their attention to recent footmarks, not a single native was to be seen. Distant about two miles from this stock-yard lay due north the Pic of "Tangulda," and as the Barber had positively stated that the only practicable way to the " big river was N.E. by N. from Tangulda, the Major mounted the pic, and saw the Nammoy's course through a cluster of hills, between which it passed to a lower country in the north-west. These hills were connected on the right bank with the pic, and also with a low range on the east and north-east, whose western extremities appeared to terminate westward on the vale of the Nammoy, as far northward as he could see them in perspective. It appeared, then, that the lowest part of the range lay exactly in the direction described by the Barber. Some bold and remarkable hills appeared at no great distance to the right of that line; but the country between Tangulda and the lowest part of the horizon seemed so gentle and undulating, that he felt it his duty, before tracing the Nammoy further, to explore the country in the direction so particularly described by the Bush-ranger. Quitting, therefore, the line of the Nammoy, they proceeded in the direction north-east by north from Tangulda; and, after journeying some twenty miles on the 18th, early in the morning of the 19th, they encamped at the stream of the valley, which the Major named Maule's river. Leaving the cattle to be refreshed during the day, he proceeded, with the native and two men, to examine the mountains. After climbing about a mile and a half, he reached a lofty summit, where he hoped to have obtained a view beyond the range, or, at least, to have discovered how it might be crossed, but was disappointed; distant summits, more lofty and difficult of access, obstructed the view towards the east, north, and even west; the only link connecting the hill they had gained with those still higher being a very bold naked rock, presenting a perpendicular side at least 200 feet in height. To proceed in that direction was quite out of the question. "As we descended, we came suddenly on an old woman, who, as soon as she saw us, ran off in terror. I ordered the two men who accompanied me to keep back, until Mr. Brown' could overtake and speak to her, saying that we intended, no harm; and she was easily persuaded, after a brief conversation with our guide to allow us to come near. She presented a most humiliating specimen of our race-a figure shortened and shrivelled with age, entirely without clothing; one eye alone saw through the dim decay of nature-several large fleshy excrescences projected from the sides of her head like so many ears-and the jawbone was visible, through a gash or scar, on one side of her chin. The withered arms and hands, covered with earth by digging and scraping for the snakes and worms on which she fed, more resembled the limbs and claws of a quadruped. She spoke with a slow nasal whine, prolonged at the end of each sentence, and this our guide imitated in speaking to her. The mosquitoes tormented her much, as appeared from her incessantly slapping her limbs seemed animated on some subject, but and body. Mr. Brown's' conversation not, as I at last suspected, on that most important to us; for, when I enquired, after he had spoken a long time, what she said of the Barber' and the way across the moun ain, he was obliged to commence a set of queries, evidently for the first time. She said horses might pass, pointing at the same time further to the eastward-but our guide seemed unwilling to put further questions, say. ing she had promis d to send at sunset to our tents two young boys who could inform us better. Even in such a wretched state of existence, ornaments had their charms with this female, when even the decency of covering was wholly disregarded. She had kangaroo teeth set round her brow, these being fastened to the few remaining hais, and a knot of brown feathers decora ed her right temple. The roasting snake which we had seen in the morning, belonged, as we now learned, to this witch of the glen. The boys did not visit us in the evening, as Mr. Brown' had expected, and he appeared unusually thoughtful when I found him sitting alone by the waterside at some distance from the camp. I was then making arrangements for carrying the bulk of our provisions and equipment on pack-horses and bullocksacross this range, intending to leave the remainder of our stores at this spot in charge of two men armed; and of this measure Mr Brown' did not approve. "Dec. 20.-When the pack-horses had been loaded, and we were about to start, leaving the remainder of our pro visions in charge of two men, we discovered that our native guide was missing. I had promised him for his services, a tomahawk, a knife, and a blanket, and as he was already far beyond his own beat as I supposed, he might have had the promised rewards, by merely asking for them. We had always given him plenty of flour, also his choice of any part of the kangaroos we killed. It had been observed by the men, that the intelligence received from the old woman had made him extremely uneasy, and he had also expresed to them on the previous evening, his apprehensions about the natives in the country before us. I was very sorry for the loss of Mr Brown.' He was very comical, as indeed, these half civilized aborigines generally are: he liked to be close shaved, wore a white neckcloth, and declared it to be his intention of be coming, from that time forward, a white fellow. I concluded that he had returned to his own tribe; and that he had been unwilling to acknowledge to me his dread of the 'myall' tribes." The expedition then proceeded up the valley, or eastward, and en deavoured to pass to the northward; but, judging it nearly impracticable, the leader wisely desisted from any further attempt on the direction pointed out by the veracious Barber, and determined on returning to Tangulda, that, by following the Nammoy, he might endeavour to turn this range, and so enter the region beyond it. Ön the 22d, having again encamped on the Nammoy, six miles from Taugulda, at a spot favourable for the formation of a depot-the waters clear and sparkling, the grass excellent, a hill at hand overhung with pines, and lofty blue gum-trees growing on the margin Major Mitchell resolved to make a voyage of discovery in canvass-boats down the river-the channel of all the waters of the Peel, the Maluerindie, and Conadilly. without meeting any impediment, but, "We passed along several reaches at length, an accumulation of drift-timber and gravel brought us up at a sp.t where two large trees had fallen across the magnitude of these trunks and the stream from opposite banks. From others which interwoven with rubbish, and buried in gravel, supported them. I anticipated a long delay,bat the activity of the whole party was such,that a clear passage was opened in less than half an hour. The sailors swam about like frogs, and swimming, could cut with a I could survey the river as we proceedcross cut saw,trees under water. I found ed, by measuring with a pocket sextant the angle subtended by the two ends of a twelve-feet rod-held in the second boat-at the opposite end of each reach the bearing being observed at the same time. By referring to one of Brewster's twelve-feet rod, I ascertained the distables, the angles subtended by the ed a delay of a few seconds only, jus tance in feet. This operation occasionas the last boat arrived in sight in each place of observation. "Several black swans floated before us-apparently not much alarmed even at the unwonted sights of boats on the and reaches, and the depth and stillNammoy. The evenness of the banks ness of the waters were such, that I might have traced the river downwards, at least so far as such facilities continued, had our boats been of a stronger material than canvass. But dead tres lay almost invisible under water, and at the end of a short reach where I awaited the re-appearance of the second boat, we heard suddenly, confused shouts, and, on making to the shore, and running to the spot, I found that the boat had run foul of some sunken tree-and about three miles in search of water filled almost immediately. Mr White for an encampment. He came upon had, on the instant, managed to run her a slight hollow, and followed it down, ashore across another sunken trunk, and but it disappeared in a level pla`n suthus prevented her from going down in rounded by rising grounds. The deep water, opposite to another steep search became anxious. One dry bank. By this disaster our whole stock of pond encouraged his hopes of findirg tea, sugar, and tobacco, with part of our water, and he continued his search flour and pork, were immersed in the water, but fortunately all the gunpowder along a flat where the grass had been had been stowed in the first boat. This recently on fire. From this, pursuing catastrophe furnished another instance a kangaroo, he caine upon a well-markof the activity of the sailors; the cargo ed water-course, with deep holes, but was got out, and the sunken boat being they were all dry. Tracing the line of hauled up, a rent was discovered in the these holes downwards, he at last was canvass of her larboard bow. This the fortunate enough to find a deep pool of sailmaker patched with a piece of canwater. Here, therefore, they encampvass; a fire was made; tar was melted ed; and their good fortune was not at and applied; the boat was set afloat; re- an end, for they soon after found two loaded, and again under weigh in an hour very large ponds on a rocky bed. In and a half. Once more upon the wa- our verdurous climate we know little of ters,' every thing seemed to promise a the miseries that want of water occasuccessful voyage down the river; but sions in others; we lose half the genuour hopes were doomed to be of short du- ine enjoyments of sinple nature, by ration, for, as I again awaited he re-appearance of the second boat, a shout sim. having them in too great profusion. ilar to the first again arose, and on runThese pools seem to have made every ning across the point of land within the one happy; such are the virtues of a river bend, I found her once more on the draught of cold water. The very landpoint of going down from similar damage scape enjoyed it, for the spot was cosustained in the starboard bow. It was vered with rich grass, and was enclosed now near 5 PM., and the labours of the by shady thickets. The prospect," day had been sufficient to convince me says Major Mitchell, "of two days' rethat the course of the Nammoy could be pose for the cattle in that verdure, and much more conveniently traced at that under those shades, was most refreshtime by a journey on land, than with ing to us all. It was, indeed, a charming spot, enlivened by numbers of pigeons, and the songs of little birds in strange but pleasing notes." boats of canvass on the water." On the 31st December they resume their land-journey, and on the 5th of January arrive in the country beyond the mountains which they had in vain attempted to cross, having found an open and accessible way round their ridges; and it now remained to be ascertained whether "the large river," as described by the Barber, was near; according to him it was the first river met with alter crossing the range north east by north of Tangulda. One of the great difficulties of this country is the want of water; and, as the expedition travelled in the very height of the Australian summer, which is our winter, they voluntarily took the bull by the horns. The thermometer was frequently at a hundred, and the sufferings of the men and cattle were often dreadfully severe.— On the 6th of January we thus find him searching for water. At length the wheel of one of the carts, and the axle of another, became unserviceable. The Major then rode forward for 66 Still the heat was intense; the thermometer was at ninety during the night. Few of the men could sleep; there was not a breath of wind, and the heat was overpowering. Thus even night, which had previously afforded a relief from the day, was no longer their friend. The effect was formidable, weakening their cattle, drying up the water, destroying their wheels, and nourishing the fires in the grass and woods, which covered the country with smoke, until, in the narrator's words, humidity seemed to us the very essence of existence, wa ter almost an object of adoration."The thermometer at this date (it was January) ranged from 96 to 101 during the day; and, during the last five nights, had stood as high as 90 from sunset to sunrise! From the time of their leaving Sydney they had met with only one day of rain. They now left each " friendly water-hole in the greatest uncertainty whether 66 |