August 7. Our progress this day was still less than that made during the preceding one for it did not much exceed a mile. To that distance we had proceeded tolerably well, having crossed two small running brooks, and all appeared favourable before us. But a broad piece of rising ground which, being sandy with banksia and casuarinae trees on it, I had considered firm proved so very soft that even my own horse went down with me and wallowed in the mud. EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY BEFORE US. There was no way of avoiding this spot, at least without delay, and I ordered the men immediately to encamp, being determined to go forward with a party on horseback and ascertain the position of some point where the ground was more favourable, and then to adopt such a mode of extricating the carts and proceeding thither as circumstances permitted. I took with me provisions for three days that I might explore the country, if necessary, to the coast. BEAUTIFUL REGION DISCOVERED. I had not proceeded above five miles southward when I perceived before me a ridge in bluey distance, rather an unusual object in that close country. We soon after emerged from the wood and found that we were on a kind of tableland and, approaching a deep ravine coming from our right and terminating on a very fine-looking open country below, watered by a winding river. We descended by a bold feature to the bottom of the ravine and found there a foaming little river hurrying downwards over rocks. After fording this stream with ascended a very steep but grassy mountain-side, and on reaching a brow of high land, what a noble prospect appeared! a river winding amongst meadows that were fully a mile broad and green as an emerald. Above them rose swelling hills of fantastic shapes, but all smooth and thickly covered with rich verdure. Behind these were higher hills, all having grass on their sides and trees on their summits, and extending east and west throughout the landscape as far as I could see. I hastened to ascertain the course of the river by riding about two miles along an entirely open grassy ridge, and then found again the Glenelg, flowing eastward towards an apparently much lower country. All our difficulties seemed thus already at an end, for we had here good firm ground, clear of timber, on which we could gallop once more. The river was making for the most promising bay on the coast (for I saw that it turned southward some miles below the hill on which I stood) through a country far surpassing in beauty and richness any part hitherto discovered. I hastened back to my men in the mud and arrived before sunset with the good news, having found most of the intervening country fit for travelling upon. Thus the muddy hill which had before seemed unsurmountable led to the immediate discovery of the true course of the river, and prevented me from continuing my route into the great angle of its course over unfavourable ground instead of thus reaching it so much