Even at midday the forest wore a sombre aspect, and a stillness and solitude reigned throughout it that was very striking.

Occasionally a timid kangaroo might be seen stealing off in the distance, or a kangaroo-rat might dart out from a tuft beneath your feet; but these were rare circumstances.

The most usual disturber of these wooded solitudes were the black cockatoos; but I have never in any part of the world seen so great a want of animal life as in these mountains.
Upon our gaining the Harvey however the scene somewhat changed; the river here bore the appearance of a mountain trout-stream, sometimes gurgling along with a rapid current, and sometimes forming large pools.

The tableland could no longer be distinguished as it here changed to a broken chain of hills traversed by deep valleys; the scrub was higher and entwined by a variety of climbing plants, which rendered it very difficult to traverse; the mahogany trees became less frequent, and various others were mingled with them, whilst on the banks of the river good forage abounded.

We made about five miles more through a country of this description and then halted for the night.
LOSE THE TRACKS.