MOUNT TERRIBLE. 403 



started at 4 p.m. for Adelaide, distant nearly sixty 



miles. 



We crossed the Myponga ; and led our horses 



down a winding path on the almost precipitous side 

 of Mount Terrible, well worthy its name, just as the 

 sun was shedding his last rays over the waters of 

 the Gulf, that stretched away westward, apparently, 

 from our feet ; the white sails of a coaster here and 

 there dotting the blue expanse. Hitherto the road 

 had been over a succession of hills and dales, with 

 occasionally a patch of pretty scenery ; but from 

 the foot of Mount Terrible a level, lightly-timbered 

 piece of country extended to the Unkaparinga, which 

 we crossed, passing through the township of Noar- 

 linga, on its north bank. 



After stopping to bait the horses, we continued 

 our ride ; but it was now so very dark that I lost 

 all the beauty of this part of the country, and from 

 the undulations in the road I could easily imagine 

 that many a pretty glen was veiled from us by the 

 darkness. Getting off the track, we became en- 

 tang-led amonflf some hi2:h five-railed fences, from 

 which we were extricated by the sagacity of my 

 horse, belonging to the mounted police ; on being- 

 given his head, he soon brought us back upon the 

 road to Adelaide, where we arrived about midnight, 

 having ridden, since 10 a.m., nearly ninety miles. 

 We had scarcely reached the town before a hot 

 wind set in, which lasted forty-eight hours, when a 

 squall from seaward relieved the gasping inha- 



2 D 2 



