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granits quite a quantity of beautiful Hihherfi'i (jlaherrima 

 grew, making a golden sheen with their briglit-yellow flowers, 

 and the pink flowers of Riieliuf/ia mi/nifiord were also very 

 striking. Native tracks were very numerous, and only a few 

 hours old in some instances, and although we had not seen 

 any of the dusky inhabitants, there was not the slightest 

 doubt we were being watched from the rocky heights. 



Passing in between the main range we entered a very 

 fine valley, 1,000 yards across at the entrance, with fine bold 

 granite rocks on either side. Saw a pair of Crow-Shrikes, 

 but in spite of all our efforts we failed to secure either of 

 them. The valley we passed up was a lovely one, even after 

 such a prolonged drought, and in a good season it must be 

 very beautiful. A good many botanical specim.ens were col- 

 lected before we camped at no great distance from Mount 

 Illbillie (3,000 feet) amongst some fair-sized redgums. 



Next morning we all went up to the rockholes to assist 

 in watering the camels. There was a series of them, round 

 holes worn out of the granite, and in times of rain the water 

 ran from one to the other. We bailed from one hole into the 

 other, and from the lowest one into the tarpaulin at the foot of 

 the rock, which was situated in a narrow passage with high 

 rocks on all sides and a narrow entrance. Many photographs 

 were taken and birds obtained. Amongst the latter were 

 honey-eaters resembling Keartland's bird, "Buff-throated 

 Grass Wren" (DiaphoriUas text His irurneU'i), which were most 

 difficult to secure, as they seldom took to the wing, but passed 

 from one bunch of porcupine grass to another like mice, their 

 mottled rufous colour harmonizing so well with the red 

 granite that it was most difficult to pick them out. Here 

 there were some fine blood-wood trees (Eucalyptus terminalis) 

 bearing fruit of exceptionally large size. 



We passed out of these ranges to the west, and were just 

 approaching a narrow neck where the ranges on either side 

 converged towards each other, when we heard loud "yack- 

 ing" calls, which greatly resembled those of a species of 

 baboon found in Africa. Our boys answered the call, and 

 in a very short time we saw a party of six natives running 

 after us. They were armed with three or four single-barb 

 spears each, a spear-thrower which they called "Mooro," a 

 yam-stick, ''Wanna"; also a food and water bowl, "Wera." 

 They were finely-developed men, well nourished and deve- 

 loped, stood 5 feet 10 inches or over in height, and in almost 

 a nude condition, for all that was upon their bodies was a 

 thin twisted hair-cord round the waist, and eagle-down (either 

 white or coloured with red ochre) attached to the pubic hairs, 

 but in no w^ay sufficiently, or is it intended, to cover the 



