E. The valley in which we encamped is
enclosed by forest hills on all sides but the east, affording us plenty
of water from what is, even at this dry season, a perceptible stream.
The grass however was quite killed by the frost, and, although abundant,
did not afford such nourishment to the horses as their condition
required, insomuch that if we fall in with a part of the country that
has been burnt in the course of to-morrow's route, I shall give them a
day's rest.
Kangaroos of a very large size abound in every direction around us: our
dogs killed one weighing seventy or eighty pounds, which proved a great
and refreshing acquisition to us.
To the valley I gave the name of Emmeline's Valley, and the hill from
which we corrected our survey with Mount Melville and Mount Cunningham,
Macnamara's Hill. The day was clear and mild, and in the course of it
some new and fine plants were procured.
August 9. - The morning fine and pleasant. At half past eight we left the
valley, intending still to keep our course north of east, as the most
likely point on which to make the Macquarie River, from which, judging
by the botanical productions of that stream, we cannot be very far.
For three or four miles the country was tolerably open and good, being
clothed with luxuriant broom-grass. The cypress trees of good
dimensions; but no signs of water.
