134 SIDMUUTH VALLEY. 



the landscape. As we proceeded, the Fish River 

 was occasionally seen winding its course among 

 acacias, swamp oaks, and other trees, which 

 grew upon its banks, and the sight of a river in 

 this badly watered country, was always a pleas- 

 ing relief. We crossed this river, and deviating 

 from the main road arrived at " Sidmouth 

 Valley,'' the neat farm and residence of Mr. 

 Lowe, by whom we were kindly received, and 

 remained for the night, after a journey this day 

 of twenty-two miles. A distant view of the Ba- 

 thurst Plains was obtained from this farm. 



We left " Sidmouth Valley'" early on the fol- 

 lowing morning, through a good bush-road, and 

 arrived at a portion of thinly -timbered country, 

 having a character of park scenery, abounding 

 in fine herbage. This brought us almost imme- 

 diately upon a cattle station, the property of 

 Capt. P. P. King, R.N. There was no one in 

 the hut, so, after feeding our horses, we again 

 proceeded ; and, after a four miles ride, arrived 

 at a cattle station, belonging to Mr. Scarvell, 

 called '' Brisbane Valley,'' although from its 

 quality and locality, " sicamp" would have been 

 a more correct nomenclature. From this station 

 our road led by a bush-path between wooded 

 hills, and through miserable swamps famed for 

 the loss of an immense number of sheep, until 



