42 
natives, was discovered, a ridge of micaceous schist, traceable in a 
direct line to Mount Francis, crossing the Darwent and forming a 
rocky bar, which acts as a dam and conserves the water. After 
refilling the now empty water kegs and watering the camels and 
horses I continued on a bearing of 93° 5’ for one and a half miles 
to a small stony rise. From here the hills in which the stones 
were deposited bear 78° 20’. Passing through splendidly-grassed 
mulga scrub we reached the ranges in five and a half miles. The 
cave for which we were bound is called Koondunga by the natives, 
and is situated on the south side and half way up the first ridge. 
The hills themselves are compesed of micaceous schist, and have 
an altitude of about 150ft. above the surrounding plains. A high 
mountain discovered by me in 1878 bears 65° and is four miles 
distant. I have named it Mount Chewings, after Dr. C. Chewings, 
who explored this country in 1885. On ascending with Dr. Stirling 
to the spot I was seeking I found a small opening, some 4ft. in 
width and 38ft. in height, penetrating about 7ft. into the hill. The 
entrance to the cavern was partly filled up with loose fragments of 
rocks and the interior with gum and wattle boughs. On removing 
these an enormous number of wooden corrobboree sticks, varying 
in size and shape, were first exposed. Some appeared to be very 
ancient, and exhibited signs of frequent use. [I have since ascer- 
tained that all the aboriginal tribes for many miles around use this 
cave as a depository for their tribal sticks, which no female is 
permitted to see.| Many expeditions have started in search of this 
cave, but hitherto all have failed to find it, as nothing would in- 
duce the local natives to betray its whereabouts. We first removed 
sixty wooden tablets (or so-called sticks), all being elaborately 
carved or marked on both sides with a number of concentric lines, 
which appeared to be perfectly intelligible to both our black boys. 
Underneath these we obtained fifteen stone tablets, carved in like 
manner. This latter discovery is the most important vet made of 
these rare specimens of native skill. and will materially enhance 
the value of the ethnological collection. Selecting some thirty- 
three wooden, opossum, emu, euro, sugar ant, and other ecrrobboree 
sticks, and taking all the stone ones, I left a number of tomahawks, 
large knives, and other things in their place, sufficient commercially 
to make the transaction an equitable exchange. A special corrob- 
boree ground, used by the natives for generations past, is situated 
under a high black hill some miles to the eastward; but the limited 
time at our disposal prevented us from visiting this interesting 
place. After carefully packing our trophies on the camels we 
started at sundown, intending to return to the main camp if pos- 
sible to-night. Course 227° 30’, across undulating stony country, 
