23rd.—The country improves. We met seven natives, who drew up in some surprise at the sight of four men on horseback—perhaps the first Europeans they had seen: we had just before disturbed an emu, of which they seemed to be in chase. At noon, having travelled twelve miles, we halted in a fine valley, with plenty of grass for our horses; and having now made sixty miles in a S.S.E. line, we were, to our regret, obliged to return. Turned N.N.W.; ascended a hill, which afforded an extensive view to the eastward of a level country; but undulating to the south. Here were pools of water courses and trees, which are supposed to be casuarinas and acacias; but neither mahogany nor gum trees. Saw two emus, many kangaroos, and shot a brace of cockatoos, which made no insignificant appearance at our evening meal; and we turned into our hammocks at nine o'clock.
24th.—Up at day-break, and followed the course of a considerable stream—probably the Avon: determined not to lose sight of it, and passed a waterfall, which rolled six feet over a granite rock, through a falling ground, with buttercups on its surface, and the acacia, bearing flowers like the laburnum. There are many bare downs visible from a hill near this, with green patches here and there.
25th.—Found that one of our horses had broken loose in the night, and had some trouble
