Having at length disposed of the course of the Glenelg, my next object was to cross and examine the high ground which enclosed its basin on the east supplying those tributaries which the river received from its left bank, and evidently extending from the Grampians to Cape Bridgewater. I had named this the Rifle range in crossing that branch of it extending north-westward when I ascertained its characteristics to be lofty woods and swamps; but its ramifications in other directions and how it was connected backwards with the mountains still remained to be discovered; and from what I did know of this range I apprehended considerable difficulty in getting over it with our heavy carriages at such a season. That we might if possible escape the bogs, I devoted the day to an extensive reconnaissance of the country before us; my guide in this case being the river Crawford which, flowing in deep ravines, was likely to afford (so long as its general course continued to be nearly parallel to our route) one means at least of avoiding those soft swampy flats which could not possibly impede us so long as the side of such a ravine as that of the river was within reach. I had the good fortune to find that the range in general was firm under the hoof, and its direction precisely such as I wished. Extensive swamps occasionally appeared on my right; but I had on the left the deep ravines of the Crawford, and I travelled across the highest slopes of the ground. Having thus found good sound turf for twelve miles in the direction in which I wished to take the carriages, I returned on descending from a trap range where the rock consisted of granular felspar and hornblende with crystals of glassy felspar. On this hill the soil was exceedingly rich and the grass green and luxuriant. I obtained thence a most useful bearing on Mount Gambier, and saw also some heights to the eastward beyond the Rifle range. The timber grew to an enormous size on the ranges which I traversed this day; it consisted chiefly of that species of eucalyptus known as stringybark. Some of the trees we measured were 13 feet and one as much as 14 1/2 feet in circumference, and 80 feet was no uncommon height. The fallen timber was of such magnitude as to present a new impediment to our progress for we had not previously met with such an obstruction on any journey. CROSS THE CRAWFORD. August 24.