they intended to carry. I entrusted a small pocket chronometer to Mr.
Walker, and another to Corporals Coles and Auger; and to Ruston I gave
charge of a pocket-sextant which belonged to the Surveyor-General at
Perth. Coles and Auger also undertook to carry a large sextant, turn
about; all my own papers, such charts as I thought necessary, and some
smaller instruments I bore myself; but Kaiber, in order to relieve me,
took charge of my gun and some other articles. Mr. Smith carried his
sketchbook and box of colours. I ought here to state that, in all the
difficulties which beset those individuals to whom I entrusted anything,
they never, except on one occasion, and by my orders, abandoned it:
indeed I do not believe that there is a stronger instance of fidelity and
perseverance than was evinced by some of the party in retaining, under
every difficulty, possession of that which they had promised to preserve
for me.

PICTURESQUE HALTING-PLACE.

Our loads having been hoisted on our shoulders away we moved. I had
before chosen my line of route, and the plan I had resolved to adopt was
to walk on slowly but continuously for an hour, and then to halt for ten
minutes; during which interval of time the men could rest and relieve
themselves from the weight of their burdens whilst I could enter what
notes and bearings I had taken during the preceding hour.

We were embarrassed for the first portion of our journey this afternoon
by a thick scrub, through which we could only make our way with great
difficulty, but on coming to a watercourse running into the southern part
of Gantheaume Bay from the south-east I turned up its bed, and we were
then able to move along with tolerable facility. This watercourse ran at
the bottom of a red sandstone ravine resembling the old red sandstone of