Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/87

 69 12th.—Crossed a more level and open country for seven miles (which we considered great progress, having made only three or four miles each preceding day) and had a more extensive view from some of the hills. The only very attractive object was a conical sloped hill which obtained the name of Mount Dale, after our companion and leader. The appearance of the country and timber began to undergo a change; the casuarina tree, which is somewhat like a fir, is common on the east side of the range;—halted at two, having passed some native huts without seeing the natives themselves.

l4th.—Crossed good level ground, and saw fifteen kangaroos; none killed.

15th.—Passed seven native huts, and ensconced ourselves in them; ascended a hill composed of what is here called ironstone (a red sandstone) which we imagined affected our compasses, so much so that we called this elevation Magnetic Hill;—cut some bark from a tree, which smelled like raspberry jam, and caught two lizards—two iguanas, 14 inches long, with a purple tongue, and without a tail. One of our party killed what he called a puff adder, and a small snake; killed a kangaroo, and found its young one (a beautiful black-eyed creature) in time to rescue it from the dogs. I carried the poor thing in my pocket, and nursed it carefully; it will soon become familiar;—surprised some natives, who went off gesticulating and vociferating furiously; ascended some rising grounds, whence we had a fine view of an abrupt hill in the distance, called Cut Down Hill, and where we observed for the first time the appearance of white lime, and got sight of Mount Bakewell, which we hailed with three cheers and a volley; crossed a stream running through a very fine country, and ascended another picturesque hill, from which we had no longer the cat-in-bag kind of prospect which had hitherto almost invariably been the case with us. Like puss in a sack, we had been endeavouring to poke out our heads, but in vain; each hill tempted us to push onwards and upwards in hopes