210 oxley's tabi-e-land. [ch. IV. 



a mile of deep water ; and soon after we attained that part of 

 it where the bed was of granite, but quite dry. The bank 

 was here unusually even, like that of a canal, having also 

 little wood ; no polygonum or rhagodia appeared there. 

 Soon after, we traversed a soil composed of gravel, about the 

 size of stones broken for roads ; the fragments were a good 

 deal rounded, and all of granite. We finally encamped on 

 the river, after crossing its usual belt of soft, hollow ground, 

 which was rather distressing to the bullocks. The roads of 

 the natives frequenting this part of the Bogan, were well 

 beaten, but none of the inhabitants made their appearance. 



May 19. — We started at the usual hour, keeping first to 

 the south of west, in order to clear the ground near the Bogan, 

 and then on 300°. I obtained from several parts of the route, 

 bearings on the hills west by south of New-Year's range, 

 and which were higher and more conspicuous than the 

 latter. 



We came upon a bend of the river with good water-holes, 

 at 11^ miles, and encamped as usual, on the clearest ground 

 near it. 



May 20. — We moved forwards on the bearing of west- 

 north-west, until, at 51 miles, we reached the top of the Pink 

 Hills, where, for the first time, I saw Oxley's Table-land, 

 bearing 5° south of west, and distant apparently about thir- 

 teen or fourteen miles, also Druid's Mount, bearing 103° west 

 of north. Seeing the first mentioned hill so near, I should 

 have made for it, had I felt certain, that water remained in 

 the swamp, mentioned by Captain Sturt, and that the bul- 

 locks could reach the hill before night. But they were now 

 proceeding slowly and half tired ; and I considered it, upon 

 due reflection, to be more advisable, to go in a;ioi-th-west direc- 

 tion towards the Bogan. On the western slope of these hills, 

 we found some of the pinks in flower, from which probably 

 they have been named. There was also an unusual verdure 

 about the grass, and a fragrance and softness in the western 

 breeze, which seemed to welcome us to that interior region, 



