CH. III.] ROUND THE GREAT RANGE. 59 



services on this occasion. The morning had been calm and 

 very hot, but at three p. m. the svm was obscured, to our 

 inexpressible relief, and clouds full of thunder at length 

 overcast the whole sky ; only a few drops of rain fell about 

 six p. M. ; and at ten, the heavens became clear, the air 

 however was cool and refreshing. 



Jan. 1, 1832. — We proceeded on the same bearing, tra- 

 velling over a very level surface. As we approached the 

 western extremity of the great range, we touched on an 

 open plain, whereof the soil was very rich. The greater 

 portion of it lay on the left, or westward of our route, or 

 towards the river. After crossing it, we again entered a 

 thin scrub of acacia pendula, which having been recently 

 burnt, was open and favourable for passing through. We 

 afterwards crossed a succession of gentle undulations, and 

 through an opening, along the bottom of one valley, I ob- 

 tained a view over the flat country to the westward. The 

 most remarkable feature, was a naked ridge of yellowish 

 rock, which rose abruptly from the woody country, as if it 

 overhuno; the river. I wished much to examine that sin- 

 gular mass, but we were proceeding with little prospect of 

 finding water, and we had impassable scrubs before us, as 

 well as rocky hills on our right. A valley at length ap- 

 peared in our route, and in which fi'om the nature of the 

 mountains at its head, I hoped to find water. In this, I was, 

 however, disappointed, for the channel, although of consider- 

 able depth, was quite dry, and I in vain searched its bed, 

 for at least a mile upwards. At ten miles, the most western 

 head of the range of "Nundawar" bore north, its low western 

 extremity being distant only about a quarter of a mile. 

 We were about to cross some offsets from the range, when 

 a thick scrub or brush obstructed our further progress 

 in that direction. I entered it, and penetrated about a mile 

 and a half without discovering any indication of water, or 

 any opening through which the carts might pass. The 

 weather was extremely warm, and as we had come a long 



