350 HISTORY OF 



Near the head of Pumice- Stone river was a 

 large sheet of water, which seemed to divide 

 into branches, and others still smaller falling 

 into this below, the whole formed channels, 

 which, ramifying through the low country, 

 drew off what water might collect within the 

 ridge of the back mountains. These appeared 

 to be distant between ten and twenty miles, and 

 the intermediate country to be as low as that 

 just walked o^er. 



From this mount, the way was over an irre- 

 gular country, the higher parts of which were 

 sandy and stoney, the lower swampy as before. 

 About half way between it and the flat-topped 

 peak, by a stream of water they rested for the 

 night. At seven next morning they found 

 themselves under the steep cliffs of the flat- topped 

 peak. The stone of which was of a whitish cast, 

 close-grained and hard, but light and though 

 there not stratified, there were many fissures in 

 it. Some distance from the peak lay some pieces 

 of a reddish-coloured stone, and some small 

 pieces of granite scattered about. 



Lieut. Flinders was surprized at not meeting 

 with any volcanic appearances, as the pumice- 

 stone in the river, and the situation of these 

 stupendous peaks, standing upon low flat 

 ground, led him to form some expectations of 

 that kind. 



The steepness of its sides prevented any idea 

 of reaching the summit of the flat-topped peak, 

 therefore he directed his course to the river, 

 steering S. S. E. not only to clear the head ctf 



