MOUNT DISTANCE. 
125 
hour or two the whole country was inundated, and 
he was taught a lesson of industry at the expense of 
a thorough and unmitigated drenching. 
September 1. — This morning I sent the man back 
to the depot with the pack-horse, with orders to the 
overseer to move back the party as rapidly as pos- 
sible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advan- 
tage of the rain we might make a short route 
through the plains, and avoid the necessity of going 
up among the rugged and stony watercourses of 
the hills. 
This retrograde movement was rendered abso- 
lutely necessary from our present position, for since 
we had wound through the hills to the north, and 
come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders 
range had terminated, and I now only wished to 
trace its northern termination so far east as to enable 
me to see round it to the southward, as well as to 
ascertain the character and appearance of the 
country to the north and to the east; as soon 
therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a 
course of E. 35° N. for a low and very distant ele- 
vation, apparently the last of the hills to the east- 
ward, this I named Mount Distance, for it deceived 
us greatly as to the distance we were from it. 
In passing through the plains, which were yes- 
terday so arid and dry, I found immense pools, nay 
almost large reaches of water lodged in the hollows, 
and in which boats might have floated. Such was 
the result of only an hour or two’s rain, whilst the 
