MOSQUITOES. 
67 
accompanied me on this excursion. After we left the camp 
we crossed a part of the range, and travelled for some time 
through open forest land that would aflfbrd excellent grazing 
in most seasons. We passed some hollows, and noticed 
many huts that had been occupied near them; but the 
hollows were now quite dry, and the huts had been long 
deserted. After about ten miles’ ride we reached a plain of 
white sand, from which New Year’s Range was distinctly 
visible ; and this no doubt was the spot that had attracted my 
attention. Pools of water continued on it, from which circum- 
stance It would appear that the sand had a substratum of clay 
or marl. From this plain we proceeded southerly through 
acacia scrub, bounding gently undulating forest land, and 
at length ascended some small elevations that scarcely de- 
served the name of hills. They had fragments of quartz 
profusely scattered over them ; and the soil, which was sandy, 
contained particles of mica. 
The view from them was confused, nor did any fresh 
object meet our observation. We had, however, consider- 
ably neared the two wooded hills, and the elevations that 
from the range were to the S. W., now bore N. W. of us. 
We had wandered too far from the camp to admit of our 
returning to it to sleep ; we therefore commenced a search 
for water, and having found some, we tethered our horses 
near it for the night, and should have been tolerably com- 
fortable. had not the mosquitoes been so extremely trou- 
blesome. They defied the power of smoke, and annoyed 
me so much, that, hot as it was, I rolled myself in my boat 
