OF THE COUNTRY. 
267 
near an encampment of the natives, and evidently 
brought there by them, clearly proved the existence 
of this rock at no very great distance, probably small 
elevations of granite may occasionally be found 
among the scrubs, similar to those we had so fre- 
quently met with in the same character of country. 
Another substance found at one of the native en- 
campments, and more interesting to us, not having 
been before met with, was a piece of pure flint, of 
exactly the same character as the best gun flint. 
This probably had been brought from the neigh- 
bourhood of the Great Bight, in the cliffs of which 
Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and where 
I hoped that some change in the geological forma- 
tion of the country would lead to an improvement 
in its general appearance and character. 
The weather had been (with the exception of one 
or two hot days) unusually cold and favourable for 
the time of year. Our horses had enjoyed a long rest, 
and though the dry state of the grass had prevented 
them from recovering their condition, I hoped they 
were stronger and in better spirits, and determined 
to make one more effort to get round the head of the 
Bight ; — if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would 
be final, as I should no longer have the means of 
making any future trial, for I fully made up my 
mind to take all our best and strongest animals, 
and either succeed in the attempt or lose all. 
On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, 
and on the following day left the camp, the sheep, and 
