As we made the gradual ascent of this mountainous but excellent road, the scenery began to develope itself, until the prospect before us had assumed a romantic and in a high degree picturesque appearance: there was a distant view of the Appin, Windsor, and other districts, like a _sea_ of country in the distance; near us were wild deep-wooded glens, to the bottom of which the eye could not reach. On another side were mountains heaped on mountains of various forms, and for the most part densely wooded, all combining to form a landscape of a grand and impressive character. There was, however, a deficiency of water in the view, an element which adds so much to the natural beauties of all landscape scenery; by its presence the picturesque as well as fertile appearance of the country would have been much increased. The atmosphere upon this elevated range was colder and bleaker than we had experienced on the low land; it seemed as if we had been removed to another climate, and the wind, which blew fresh, was so piercingly cold, as the sunset approached, as to render our warm cloaks of much service. As we advanced on our journey, by the continued gradual ascent, the cold increased; even the shrubs had a stunted and miserable appearance, which gave a desolate aspect to the country about us, indicating a great difference of climate in this spot in comparison with the lower part of the range from whence we had departed only a few hours before. The sunset brought a still keener air, and with joy we hailed the bridge and habitations of a station called the “Weather-boarded Hut,” our place of rest for the night, and a termination to our journey of thirty-six miles this day. On hearing the tramping of our horses, the door of a neat little inn (which now supplied the place of a rude bark hut) was opened for the travellers, and a blazing fire cheered us by its appearance in this desolate-looking spot. It was not long before we were happy to find ourselves seated in the warm room, and busy preparations making for our supper, for which we were prepared, as we found that “the keen air is a marvellous provoker of appetites;” and as, when seated snugly within this dwelling, we heard the cold wintry blast, which in this elevated region is felt through the greater part of the year, passing in gusts, we congratulated ourselves on the contrast we experienced in our present comfortable situation. The “Weather-boarded hut” is a military station for a serjeant’s guard, placed to escort prisoners of road and iron gangs, as they are removed from one station to another. It was formerly very unhealthy for the troops, occasioned by the bad construction of their habitations, and the bleakness of situation; but since more commodious dwellings have been erected, fully capable of resisting the severity of the weather, it has become more healthy.