either as a signal to other natives, or for the purpose of terrifying our horses; probably with the first object, as we soon afterwards saw two responding fires. Here we took our bearings, and saw, at a considerable distance, Cut Down Hill.
The stream at this spot is fresh, strong, and deep: the soil of middling quality. We fired seven shots at game; but dined on salt pork. Came to a better tract, near or about which my grant may be supposed to lie—not far from a rising ground called Mount Shole, from the likeness which it is supposed to bear to the bald head of a gentleman of that name. The plains are of stiff clay of different colours, with some varieties of sandy loam. Here the river dividing into two branches, we had to choose one which runs westerly: we followed until we arrived at a wet valley, not unlike that near the "Echo,[1]" and as full of springs.
Turned homewards by a tract more distant from the river, in hopes of discovering better land; but it proved to be miserably bad—of white sand, bearing the mahogany tree—which satisfied us that we had again arrived at the Darling Range: soon afterwards, however, we passed through a valley of better quality behind Mount Shole, where we bivouacked, having first shot two cockatoos for supper. This day we saw several huts.
- ↑ In the county of Wicklow, Ireland.
