CH. III.] WHEEL PONDS. 69 



camp. Through this we cut our way, keeping as closely in 

 the northern direction as the openings Avould allow. At 

 length the wheels of one of the carts, and the axle of another, 

 became unserviceable, and could not be repaired, unless we 

 baited for two days. As they could only be dragged a few 

 miles further, T went forward as soon as we got clear of the 

 scrubs, which extended three miles, in search of water for 

 an encampment. 1 came upon a slight hollow and followed 

 it down, but it disappeared on a level plain, bounded on each 

 side by rising grounds. One dry pond encouraged my hopes, 

 and I continued my search along a narrow flat, where the 

 grass had been recently on fire. From this point, and while 

 pursuing a kangaroo, I came upon a well marked water-course 

 with deep holes, but all these were dry. Tracing the line of 

 these holes downwards to where the other flat united with 

 it, I found, exactly in the point of junction, as I had reason 

 to expect, a deep pool of water. Once more, therefore, we 

 could encamp, especially as two very large ponds on a rocky 

 bed, were found a little lower than that water first discovered. 

 This element was daily becoming more precious in our esti- 

 mation, and I had reason to be very anxious about it, on 

 account of Mr. Finch, who was following in our track. The 

 spot on which we encamjjed, was covered with rich grass, 

 and enclosed by shady casuarince and thick brush. The pros- 

 pect of two days' repose for the cattle on that verdure, and 

 under these shades, was most refreshing to us all. It was, 

 indeed, a charming spot, enlivened by numbers of pigeons, 

 and the songs of little birds, in strange, but very pleasing 

 notes. 



Here I again remarked, that among these casuarinse scrubs 

 the eucalyptus, so common in the colony, was only to be 

 seen near water ; so that its white shining bark and gnarled 

 branches, while they reminded us of home at Sydney, also 

 marked out the spots for fixing our nightly home in the bush. 



Jan. 7. — The night had been unusually hot, the thermo- 

 meter having stood at 90°, and there had not been a breath of 



