Part 18 (1/2)

One of the horses was , so we did not start until 10 ah country the sarees 32 ust

Our average course to-day was nearly east, occasionally crossing channels co we found that the main channel, which it had been our intention to have followed, had escaped our observation to the southward, and ere only on a coe of hills to the eastward Our object for the present not being to push too far into the interior, this tributary was followed until it broke up into numerous s three feet in the sand, a much improved in the course of the day Carees 34 ust

Soon after starting thiswe came upon a camp of natives, but we could not prevail upon any of the over rather rocky ground led us well into the range, which we found to consist of granite, capped with ated jasper In a deep ravine at the foot of a cliff we found a s water, which was very acceptable, as the sun had now acquired considerable power, and the grasses were beginning to get very dry food for our horses During the halt at this spring Mr Harding and e, which was found to be 500 or 600 feet above the plain From this elevation I was enabled to select our onward route, and obtain bearings to several useful suulation--a few hills to the south-south-east being visible at the distance of sixty or seventy miles, which no doubt fore

Resue was soon passed, e descended to the eastward down solens, in which were found several springs and pools of water, leading down to a fine grassy flat, in which were growing soust (Sunday)

Found our latitude 21 degrees 36 rees 13 minutes east by account

THE STRELLEY RIVER

19th August

The country being very hilly, it was found best to follon the streah it trended to the north of east In a few miles the valley opened out with fine pools of perhts of ducks, and at eight miles it joined a wide valley from the south, dohich flowed a river, divided into several channels, containing many fine pools froently frorassed, were very rocky, rendering travelling excessively fatiguing to our heavily-loaded pack-horses, several of the fro too deep and narrow for the the valley were too steep to ad the river, which ere corees 26 ust

The river, which had been named the Strelley, continued to hold a northerly course; we therefore availed ourselves of a s in from the east to resume our old course At ninefrom the south-east, evidently tributary to the Strelley, and taking its rise in elevated granite ranges with black volcanic ridges protruding through theeneral level of the country After a few hours' scra east, containing several springs, surrounded by high grass and flags, gradually leading us by sunset into a deep pass, walled in by cliffs and bluffs froer ones fro nearly the whole width of the valley We enca spots to be found in this part of Australia, to which we gave the na a rese found in the strearees 20 minutes 35 seconds

THE SHAW RIVER NORTON PLAINS

21st August

With sos of the glen for six rassy flats, turning to the northward Leaving it at this point, a ht us to the bank of a fine open river-bed 200 yards wide, dohich a little water was still flowing, the country on its banks becorass plentiful This river I nah which it came for twenty or thirty miles to the southward Norton Plains, after the talented Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society In the afternoon a large tributary fro to the south, we quitted it to follow an open valley leading east towards a bold granite and schistose range, under which we enca water

Caust

As we did not find water for some distance to the eastward under the foot of the hills, we turned to the south-east, quickly e from the hills upon the Norton Plains, and at two , to which the naiven It had altered its course, and was again cos This creek was followed up for the rest of the day through a rather indifferent country, and, towards nightfall, led us into a deep rocky ravine, in which we enca obtained frorees 28 ust