By ten o'clock however we were abreast of High Bluff Point and, as there appeared to be little chance of our having even a gentle breeze for some time, I determined to land with a party at the Point, and to walk from thence to Hanover Bay, where on our arrival we could make a signal to the vessel for a boat to reconvey us on board. By the adoption of this course I hoped to be able at once to select a spot affording water and forage, in the neighbourhood of which the sheep and stores might be landed; the vessel could then proceed without delay to the Island of Timor to procure the requisite number of ponies for our expedition, and, if she made a quick passage there and back, I trusted, notwithstanding the numerous unforeseen delays that had arisen, we might yet be able to start for the interior before the rainy season set in. LANDING AND DISTRESS FOR WANT OF WATER ON THE ROUTE. The necessary orders were soon given: the boat was lowered and, whilst the party prepared themselves, I went below to arrange with the master the precise spot at which the vessel was to anchor in order that no mistake might occur upon so vital a point. This done, I returned once more on deck, and found all ready for departure. The party to land consisted of Mr. Lushington, Mr. Walker, and three men who were selected to accompany us. I also brought away three of the dogs, to whom I was anxious to give a run after their long confinement on board. The shore for which we pulled was not more than half a mile distant, and we soon gained the edge of a sandy beach, on which I sprang, eagerly followed by the rest; every eye beaming with delight and hope, unconscious as we were how soon our trials were to commence. DISTRESSING MARCH. I soon found that we had landed under very unfavourable circumstances. The sun was intensely hot. The long and close confinement on board a small vessel had unfitted us all for taking any violent or continued exercise without some previous training, and the country in which we had landed was of a more rocky and precipitous character than any I had ever before seen; indeed I could not more accurately describe the hills than by saying that they appeared to be the ruins of hills; composed as they were of huge blocks of red sandstone, confusedly piled together in loose disorder, and so overgrown with spinifex and scrub that the interstices wore completely hidden, and into these one or other of the party was continually slipping and falling. The trees were small, and their foliage so scant and slight that they afforded no shelter whatever from the burning rays of the sun; which appeared to strike up again from the sandstone with redoubled heat, so that it was really painful to touch or to stand upon a bare rock: we therefore kept moving onwards in the hope of meeting with some spot favourable for a halting place; but the difficult nature of the ground which we had to cross rendered our progress slow and oppressively laborious.