TEA-TREE SCRUB. 
325 
gathering to the south and passing to the north, 
but no rain fell. 
March 9. — Moving on early we passed through a 
similar country to that we had before traversed ; but 
there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which made 
our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This 
kind of scrub, which is different from any I had 
seen before, is a low bush running along the ground, 
with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and 
forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to 
the traveller. The sheep and horses got very tired, 
from having to lift their legs so high to clear it 
every step they took. To the westward we found 
the country rising as we advanced, and the cliffs be- 
coming higher ; they now answered fully, where we 
could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the 
description given by Flinders — “ the upper part 
brown and the lower part white but as yet we 
could not find any place where we could descend to 
examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared 
soft and crumbling, and its decay had left the upper, 
or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the ocean. 
Upon the summits we again found flints in the 
greatest abundance lying loosely scattered over the 
surface. 
The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but 
none fell. After travelling twenty -five miles we 
halted for an hour or two to rest the sheep and 
horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were 
too much in want of water to attempt to eat the dry 
