and Williams. Creeks: Stewartsbrook, Sandy, Fall, Fay, Muswell, Saltwater, Lamb Valley, West, Myall, Glendon, and Carron. Eminences: Mount M'Arthur, Royal, Drying, Tangarron, and Wollen. Population, 7,928. Gloucester county intervenes between the sea and Durham, has a coast line upwards of 80 miles in length, and extends inland for a distance of 65 miles. It contains a good amount of land suitable for grazing and cultivation. Much of the extensive estate of the Australian Agricultural Company is situate in the southern portion of this county, in the neighbourhood of Port Stephen, a commodious harbour, 15 miles in length, and contracted near the centre to a mile in breadth. On the west shore of the harbour, and about 2 miles inland, the company have established the town of Carrington, adjacent to which is the residence of the superintendent, picturesquely situate on the crest of a grassy mound. Nearly all the finest land in this county is in possession of the company, whose grazing stations are extensive, and whose farms, gardens, and vineyards present gratifying proofs of well-bestowed capital and labour. A singular phenomenon has lately been discovered in this county-viz., the front line of a range of hills near some lands belonging to the Church of England, strikingly resembling the ruins of a fortress. The masses of rent rock are dotted with balls, half fixed, and of the exact size of cannon-balls. They are easily displaced, leaving a socket, as if they had originally been plunged there by artillery. The balls are very heavy, of a sparkling granite, surrounded in the centre by a white flimsy circle, which it is found impossible to chip. Other mineralogical curiosities abound in this county. Towns: Raymond Terrace, Carrington, and the small villages of Gloucester and Stroud. Rivers Manning, Karuah, Gloucester, Chichester, Williams, and Barrington. Crecks: M'Arthur's, Onall, Serpent, Myall, and Pilligerry. Lakes: Wallis and Myall. Eminences: Mount Tallowah and Khanghat. Population, 3,149. Macquarie county lies immediately to the northward of Gloucester, and has a sea-board of about 90 miles, extending from the embouchure of the Manning river (the southern boundary of the county) to Trial Bay, the seamouth of the river M'Leay, in 30° 40′ S. lat. The prevailing features of the county are undulating grassy land, free from inundations, and watered with numerous clear streams. Wherever cultivation has been carried on, the yield has been great; in some places averaging 40 bushels of 65 lbs. each to the acre. The grasses are long and rich, and vegetation generally is more luxuriant than in the southern portions of the province. Cabbage-palms and myrtles clothe the shores to the ocean's spray; lofty teees flourish close to the sea; and, further inland, moist tea-tree flats and rich sedgy hollows are common. The climate is warmer than that of Sydney; rains are more frequent, hot winds seldom occur, and in summer the heat is mitigated by heavy thunder showers. Port Macquarie, the mouth of the river Hastings, is an indifferent haven, 270 miles from Sydney, in 31° 25' S. lat. At this harbour, on the south bank of the Hastings river, is a township named after the port, which was formerly a penal settlement, and which now maintains but a feeble existence. The other towns are Ballengarra, Hay, Maria Vale, and the thriving village of Kempsay. The principal agricultural farms are on the banks of the river Wilson, a tributary of the Hastings, and a neverfailing stream. The known good grazing ground is fully occupied by squatters. Rivers: Hastings, Wilson, Manning, Ellenborough, Forbes, Brumo, and Maria. Creeks: Piper's, Pymbank, Cathie, Kindee, Limestone, Koolobungan, and Pappinburra. Lakes Queen's, Innes, and many others of small extent. Eminences: Three Brothers, Comboyne, Cairncross, Mount Seaview, Colapotamba, and the Steeple, a sharp : spur on the summit of the Brakenhago range. Population, 1,637. Several counties have been recently proclaimed to the northward and eastward of Murray county, but as I have no sufficient details of them, the country they embrace will be described generally. The map exhibits their position; their names are as follows: Hawes, Parry, Buckland, Pottinger, Inglis, Vernon, Sandon, Dudley, Gresham, Raleigh, Clarence, Richmond, Buller, Rous, Ward, Stanley, Churchill, Cavendish, Canning. This northern country differs in everything from the dry sheep pastures of the south. The scenery is imposing; its characteristics are precipice, mountain, torrent, and lagoon, with luxuriant tropical vegetation, The encalipti, the cedar, casnarina, palms, fern trees, and wild figs attain an enormous size, while the coarse rank grasses have much the appearance of waving corn-fields. The climate is unpleasantly hot, and has all the features of a tropical one; the heat and moisture in the rainy season-which lasts about five |