GEOLOGY OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 29 
running over a shingly bed, composed of rounded frag- 
ments of every rock of which the neighbouring ranges were 
formed, and many others that had been swept by the tor- 
rents down it. The rock formation of the hills upon its 
right continued of that chlorite schist which prevailed 
near Mr. Whaby’s, which I have already noticed, and 
quartz still appeared in large masses, on the loftier ranges 
opposite, so that the geology of the neighbourhood could 
not be said to have undergone any material change. It 
might, however, be considered an extraordinary feature in 
it, that a small hill of blue limestone existed upon the left 
bank of the river. The last place at which we had seen 
limestone was at Yass, but I had learned from Mr. Whaby, 
that, together with whinstone, it was abundant near a 
Mr. Rose’s station on the Dumot, that was not at any great 
distance. The irregularity, however, of the intervening coun- 
try, made the appearance of this solitary rock more singular. 
Although the fires of the natives had been frequent upon 
the river, none had, as yet, ventured to approach us, in 
consequence of some misunderstanding that had taken 
place between them and Mr. Stuckey’s stockmen. Mr. Ro- 
berts’ stockmen*, however, brought a man and a boy to us 
at this place in the afternoon, but I could not persuade 
them to accompany us on our journey — neither could I, 
although my native boy understood them perfectly, gain 
any particular information from them. 
In consequence of rain, we did not strike the tents so 
* These men had lately fixed themselves on the river a little below 
Mr. Whaby’s. 
