Part 9 (1/2)

Flood hteen feet above the banks, showed that an immense body of water occasionally sweeps down its wide channel

I did not ascend Mount McConnel, but it seemed to be composed of a species of domite On the subordinate hills I observed sienite The bed of the river furnished quite a collection of prirey; of granite; of sienite; of felspathic porphyry, hornblende, and quartz-porphyry; and of slate-rock

Thewas cloudless In the afternoon, heavy cu wind from the north and north by east

A very conspicuous hill, bearing ENE from the junction of the rivers, received the name of Mount Graham, after R Graham, Esq, who had most liberally contributed to e calabash attached to its dry vine, which had been carried down by the waters Several other very interesting cucurbitaceous fruits, and large reeds, were observed a the rubbish which had accu the flood

April 3--We travelled up the Burdekin, in a north-north-west direction, to latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 20 seconds The country was hilly and mountainous; the soil was stony; and the banks of the river were intersected by deep gullies and creeks The forest vegetation was the sa the patches of brush which are particularly found at the junction of the larger creeks with the river, we observed a large fig-tree, froe; and covered with bunches of fruit The figs were of the size of a sreeable flavour when ripe, but were full of small flies and ants These trees were numerous, and their situation was readily detected by the paths of the natives leading to them: a proof that the fruit for tea trees, which had increased both in nurew in coe; and a species of Eucalyptus, soophora intermedia, was discovered at this spot: it occurs frequently to the northward, and is coulf of Carpentaria The se was frequently seen in the forest, and was covered with an aum, that was eatable, but tasteless: Hakea lorea (R

Br), and Grevillea ceratophylla (R Br); the Ebenaceous tree, and that with guava-like fruit (lareya), were all nuuh and thick thatonly a few yards from them

Rock frequently crops out in the bed of the river, and in the neighbouring hills Several hills at the right bank were forrey, or red colour, and which ht be scratched easily with a penknife Other conical hills or short ranges, with irregular rugged crests, were corained without hornblende, or containing the latter substance, and changing into sienite; and, at one place, it seeh Psammite I observed quartzite in several localities, and a hard pudding-stone extending for a considerable distance We were, no doubt, on the transition from the depository to the pri part of the country would be very instructive to the geologist, as to the relative age and position of the rocks

A situdinal lines, and probably belonging to the Cyprinidae, was caught Wind prevailed from the northward: the forenoon was cloudless; heavy cuht side of the river; but its banks becaullies so deep, that ere compelled to cross it at a place where it was very deep, and where our horses and cattle had to swi to dry therees 24 minutes 12 seconds, a distance of about nine es; one of which I ascended, and enjoyed an extensive view

The character of the country changed very little: open narrow-leaved Ironbark forest on a granitic sand, full of brilliant leaflets of mica

Some deep creeks ca was to be seen but ridges; but high ies rise to the north and north-east At one spot, large round; they were probably derived froranite

Three black ducks, (Anas Novae Hollandiae) were shot Tracks of native dogs were numerous; and a bitch came fearlessly down to the river, at a short distance fro ran at her, and both fell into the water, which enabled the bitch to escape

April 5--We re-crossed the river, which was not very deep, and travelled about nine h e, at about three or four miles from its left bank I named this after Mr Robey, another friendly contributor to e creek very probably carries the waters frorees 23 y and hilly; and we found it exceedingly difficult to proceed along the river We observed the poplar-gurowing on it Pandanus was also very frequent, in clusters froave us an ample supply of fruit, which, however, was not perfectly ain observed I ascended a lofty hill, situated about a mile and a half to the west of our encareyish paste containing small crystals of felspar; but, in the bed of the river, the sareat nu it the aspect of a conglonisable by its crystals of felspar, and fro connected with the rock of the hill From the top of the hill, which is wooded with a silver-leaved Ironbark, I saw a very mountainous country to the NNW

and northward, fores and isolated peaks, soh; but to the north-west and west no ranges were visible

A thunder-storht showers: theof the 5th was very hot, and the afternoon rainy

Wind frohts clear

April 6--We travelled about ten y, openly timbered, stony and sandy country, and crossed several sandy creeks, in which a species of Melaleuca, and another of Tristania were growing No part of the country that we had yet seen, reseland so ranitic isolated blocks; detached heaps, and low ridges composed of it were frequently met with in the open forest We passed two sments of this rock, as well as of calcareous spar, were often observed scattered over the ground The river hereparallel to Robey's Range, or a spur of it; and, when it again turned to the ard, another fine high range was visible to the north by east and north-east of it; which I nament of the kindness of another of the contributors to rees 14 rees W The country becaullies were farther apart, and headed generally in fine holloo large creeks joined the river froer one came from the northward, and which probably carries off the water fro razorback mountain whichin that direction

North-west of Porter's Range, and between it and the razorback, were two ser The poplar-gurass near it; even when all the surrounding Ironbark bark forest was burnt The large clustered fig-trees were not nu the river; we perhaps passed fro ones, without fruit, were often seen

Heavy clouds gathered during the afternoon of the 6th, and it rained throughout the night; the as fro of the 7th so the day; wind easterly The ed this day, and we experienced a heavy thunder-stor the afternoon

April 8--We travelled about nine rees 9 minutes 11 seconds The river le, turned again to the north-west At this angle a large creek joined it froer channels, co in a direction almost opposite to their course

Two other creeks joined the Burdekin during this stage; one frorass was particularly rich at these junctions The river became considerably narrower, but still had a fine streaher up its course, causing a fresh; for its waters, hitherto clear, had become turbid

Narrow patches of brush were occasionallyits banks, and I noticed several brush trees, common in other parts of the country

Besides the clustered fig, and another species with rough leaves and small downy purple fruit, there were a species of Celtis; the Melia Azederach (White Cedar); a species of Phyllanthus, (a shrub fro terete twin capsules; and several Cucurbitaceae, one with oblong fruit about an inch long, another with a round fruit half an inch in diaooseberry; a third was of an oblong for and one broad; and a fourth was of the size and fore, and of a beautiful scarlet colour: the two last had an excessively bitter taste The night andwere cloudy, with a southerly wind, but it cleared up at eleven o'clock cumuli in the afternoon, ind froe of hills, bearing between N 5 degrees W

and N 10 degrees W; they were about three ment of the support I received from--Thacker, Esq, of Sidney