Abundance of kangaroos and emus.
June 21. - The result of the observation this day gave for our situation
lat. 31. 49. 60. S., long. 147. 52. 15. E., and the variation 8. 22. E.
June 22. - Completed the necessary papers for the governor's information,
and made all ready to proceed on our journey tomorrow. The river in
these last two days has risen between two and three feet.
June 23. - Having despatched Thomas Thatcher and John Hall to Bathurst,
with an account of our progress, the expedition set forward down the
river. For four or five miles there was no material change in the
general appearance of the country from what it had been on the preceding
days, but for the last six miles the land was very considerably lower,
interspersed with plains clear of timber, and dry. On the banks it was
still lower, and in many parts it was evident that the river floods
swept over them, though this did not appear to be universally the case.
The far greater part of the last six miles was covered with shrubs, and
the acacia pendula. These unfavourable appearances threw a damp upon our
hopes, and we feared that our anticipations had been too sanguine.
