CH. v.] VIEW FROM d'uRBAN's GROUP. 227 



sented spikes like bayonets, which reduced our hurried ride 

 to a walking pace, our horses winding a course through it 

 as the skeleton trees permitted. In an unburnt open place, 

 I found one solitary specimen of a tree with light bluish green 

 leaves, and a taste and smell resembling mustard. It was no 

 less remarkable for its rare occurrence and solitary character, 

 than for the flavour of its wood and remarkable foliage. I 

 could obtain no seeds of it.* I ascended the highest and most 

 southern summit, anxiously hoping to obtain a view of Dun- 

 lop's range. The view was most satisfactory. I beheld a 

 range, the first I had seen, since I lost sight of Harvey's. It 

 was extensive, and descended towards the river from the 

 south-east, being a different kind of feature from the various 

 detached hills, which cannot form basins for rivers, on these 

 dead levels, nor even supply springs. Dunlop's range cer- 

 tainly was not high, but its undulating crest, vanishing far 

 in the south-east, shewed its connexion with the high ground 

 south of the Bogan ; and a long line of smoke skirting its 

 northern base, afforded fair promise of some river or chain of 

 ponds, near which a native population could live. The course 

 of the Darling was clearly marked out by its extensive plains, 

 and the darker line of large trees, vanishing far in the west. 

 Beyond, or westward of the river, no high ground appeared, 

 no Berkley's range as shewn on the map, unless it might be 

 a slight elevation, so very low and near, as to be visible above 

 the horizon, only from the foot of the hill, on which L then 

 stood, A few detached hills were scattered over the country, 

 between me and the Bogan ; and of these Oxley's Table-land 

 was the most remarkable, being a finer mass by far than 

 Mount Helvelyn. This ridge, the features of which are rather 

 tame, consists of two hills (a and b), the principal, or southern 

 summit (a), being 910 feet, the other 660 feet, above the plain 

 at their base. These heights are 2| miles from each other, 

 which distance comprises the whole extent of D'Urban's 



* See description of this plant, as discovered in a better state on the banks o£ 

 the Murray, Vol. II. chapter 6. Jmie 5. (Gyrostemon.) 



Q 2 



