July 13. - In the course of the day the river fell upwards of a foot.
July 14. - The river fell about eighteen inches. We found that the horses
had again strayed, and they were not found and brought home until past
sunset, having wandered about in search of food from eight to twelve
miles in various directions. As the people had of course separated in
the search, three men still remained out; and being fearful that the
darkness of the night might prevent them from finding the camp, fired
several musquets, and kindled a fire upon the plains. It was twelve
o'clock before they were fortunate enough to regain the tents.
July 15. - At three, having travelled about twelve miles, halted on the
stream for the evening. The dogs killed an emu.
July 16. - Cloudy, but mild and pleasant. We retraced this day much of
the same ground which we travelled on the 28th ult. The horses were
frequently up to their shoulders in deep holes, to the danger of
breaking their own limbs, or those of their leaders or riders. There is
a uniformity in the barren desolateness of this country, which wearies
one more than I am able to express. One tree, one soil, one water, and
one description of bird, fish, or animal, prevails alike for ten miles,
and for one hundred. A variety of wretchedness is at all times
preferable to one unvarying cause of pain or distress.
We halted on the margin of one of the swamps, after travelling about
eleven miles, which it took eight hours to accomplish.
July 17. - Part of the horses again strayed; these delays in such a
country try our patience to the very utmost, and their very rambling is
the sole means of their being kept alive. It was past eleven before we
could set out, and the rain that had fallen during the night rendered
our track so extremely soft that it was with difficulty the horses could
proceed. At three we halted for the evening on a large lagoon near the
river, having gone about nine miles and a quarter.
July 18. - At nine proceeded onwards towards Macquarie's Range; and at
four, we halted at the place we rested at on the 24th ult. For the first
time since we left Cypress Hill we heard natives on the other side of
the river, but they kept out of our sight.
July 19. - At nine we proceeded up the river, and at three arrived at the
spot where we first reached the river on the 23d ult. The fresh in the
river was still considerable, being from three to five feet above its
apparent usual level.
July 20. - Rested the horses to-day, having had a hard week's work, and
the weather being unfavourable. Confirmed my intention of returning to
Bathurst instead of the depot on the Lachlan, for the following reasons.
The route up the Lachlan would be difficult and very tedious, not to say
impracticable, without the assistance of boats in crossing the two
principal creeks; and if it should have proved wet and rainy, it would
be nearly impossible to travel over the low-lands with loaded horses.
Again, our return by the route outward would not afford us any
additional knowledge of the country, and presuming this river to be the
Lachlan, the course and the country in the neighbourhood of the
Macquarie would still remain unknown. To return to Bathurst by a
northerly course would enable us to trace the Macquarie to a very
considerable distance; it would give us a knowledge of the country at
least two hundred miles below Bathurst; and although the difficulties we
may meet with in the attempt are of course unknown to us, yet I consider
it a far preferable route to returning by the Lachlan, the difficulties
of which are known, and I think we may reach one station as soon as the
other.
To-morrow, therefore, I am resolved to set forward again up the stream,
and take the earliest opportunity to cross it; when, should the
inclination of its course be such as to give reason to believe it to be
the Macquarie, we shall continue on the north bank the whole way to
Bathurst: but, on the contrary, should its course leave it no longer in
doubt that it is the Lachlan again rising from the marshes under Mount
Cunningham, we shall quit its banks, and, taking a north-easterly
course, endeavour to fall in with the Macquarie, which having found, I
shall pursue my first intention of keeping along its banks until we
arrive at Bathurst. The river has risen in the course of the night and
morning about eighteen inches. We killed this day a red kangaroo, and
three emus.
July 21. - The stream has risen nearly eighteen inches in the night. It
is extremely puzzling whence such a body of water can come thus
suddenly. There must have been a great deal of rain in the eastern
mountains, and the accumulated waters can be only now bending their way
to the lower grounds; should the winter have proved wet to the eastward,
it will undoubtedly solve the problem.
At half past eight o'clock we proceeded up the river, which during our
day's journey trended nearly north. Both banks appeared equally low:
that on which we were travelling extended to the base of Goulburn's
Range, and was wet and barren. About two miles from our night's
encampment, we ascended a low stony hill, from which the country
northerly was broken into detached hills; to the east was Goulburn's
Range, and to the north-west the country was low without any rising
grounds as far as we could see.
