Lake St. Clair and Macquarie Harbour. 
421. 
exceeding in tliis respect every thing we had passed. The soil of 
the valley is a coarse grey sand and gravel, the latter largely 
preponderating. The herbage it produces, is that usual on the 
plains of the western districts. It is traversed by several brooks 
which comedown from the Frenchman’s Cap, and united, form a 
considerable stream, called by Lady Franklin the Henslowe. 
There is a remarkable over-hanging rock in the valley named 
Christmas Rock, as here myself and five men passed Christmas 
day, 1840. Eight or ten persons may find comfortable accom¬ 
modation in this lodging house. 
On the night of the 24th December, 1840, a fearful storm of 
lightning occurred here. It was for a long time unaccompanied 
by either rain or thunder; and the flashes, which succeeded each 
other at very short intervals, were singularly vivid ; showing 
plainly at each recurrence, the rugged outline of the wild landscape 
around us. As we were watching the storm from our rocky 
fortress, we witnessed a most unusual occurrence. The recent 
hot weather had parched the herbage of the plain to perfect 
dryness, and a flash, more tremendous than any that had pre¬ 
ceded, suddenly set it in a blaze. We were beginning to be a 
little alarmed for the security of our position in the tenement we 
occupied, which was surrounded by dry herbage, mixed largely 
with dry brushwood, but were shortly afterwards relieved from 
our apprehensions by a copious shower of rain extinguishing the 
fire. 
I shall not be considered to digress, when I mention that I had 
completed a passable track as far as the top of the ridge of the 
Frenchman’s Cap, in all about 50 miles from Marlborough, where 
I first commenced work, when I received a summons, recalling me 
to Hobart. I did not return to the western districts until the 
next season. 
At the close of 1841, I was sent to complete the track to 
Macquarie Harbour, and had cut it three miles beyond the 
Franklin, (about 75 from Marlborough), when, my provisions 
beginning to fail me, I returned to Hobart. I proceeded again 
directly, with large supplies and two men by water, to Macquarie 
