132 
Excursion to the 
near the brow of an almost vertical precipice, of some 
height, and overlooking a valley, without trees or shrubs, 
but with a small stream flowing through it. The country 
was entirely devoid of interest, and the night, though in 
summer, so cold that some tea we had left was frozen: 
we had, however, luckily taken rather unusual care in 
constructing our dormitory. Once or twice we heard the 
wild dogs on the opposite hills, as if in pursuit, but met 
with no interruption to our slumbers. Wild dogs are 
those that, like the cattle, have escaped into the forests, 
and there bred; and in some places they are numerous, 
and very destructive to sheep. The common or domestic 
cat has likewise become wild in some parts of the 
Colony. 
The spot where we slept is, I should judge, about 4000 
feet above the sea; and we had not walked many miles 
when we found ourselves on the verge of that part of 
the range overlooking Norfolk Plains, and the valley 
that is included between the Eastern and Western 
Ranges. 
We commenced our descent at the first practicable place 
that we discovered, but the walking, if stepping from one 
large stone to another, and sometimes climbing up one 
side and down the opposite, could be termed walking, 
was very fatiguing. At length we came upon the Liffy, 
near its source. This rivulet was formerly called the 
Penny-royal Creek; the term creek, for what reason I 
know not, being very generally applied in Tasmania to 
rivulets. 
Having breakfasted on the bank, we resumed the 
descent, expecting to reach Mr. William Field's in the 
afternoon, in which we were, however, mistaken; for 
having plunged into a scrub, through which we thought 
there would be no difficulty in penetoating, we were 
occupied for no less than six hours in the vain endeavour 
