(IRA). We saw no game, with the exception of three or four kangaroo
rats: many beautiful small parrots were observed; and, barren as the
scrub appeared to us, yet our botanists reaped an excellent harvest
here; nothing being more true than that the most beautiful plants and
shrubs flourish best where no grass or other herbage will grow.

June 2.--Fine and clear as usual, the nights cold. One of our best
horses, mentioned yesterday as having fallen repeatedly under his load,
was this morning extremely ill, having entirely lost the use of his
hind quarters. Finding that he was quite unable to accompany us, and in
fact unfit to do any more work, it was with extreme reluctance that I
caused him to be shot, since it would have been no mercy to suffer him
to linger in his present miserable condition. Observations were taken to
ascertain our situation, and they placed us lat. 34. 8. 8. S.,
long. 146.03. E., the variation of the compass being 7. 18. E.

The hills to the southward of us are curiously composed of pudding-stone
in very large masses, the lower stratum being a coarse granite
intermingled with pieces of quartz, and a variety of other stones.

June 3.--Set forward on our route, passing over a rugged, barren, and
rocky country for about four miles and a half, when we ascended a hill
upon our right which promised a view in all directions. To the
southward, south-west, and even west, the country was a perfect plain,
interspersed with more of those dreadful scrubs which we had passed
through. In coming from Mount Aiton to the south-east were some low
ranges, with a level barren country between us and them; this hill was
named Mount Caley, and the termination of Peel's range to the southward,
a lofty rocky hill, was called Mount Brogden. On descending the hill, I
had the mortification to find that one of the horses, who had hitherto