And as I shall have the honour of
waiting on your excellency in a few days, I trust you will in the mean
time have the goodness to accept the summary account which I now offer.
"I proceeded down the Lachlan in company with the boats until the 12th
of May, the country rapidly descending, until the waters of the river
rising to a level with it, and dividing themselves into numerous
branches, inundated the land to the west and north-west, and prevented
any farther progress in that direction, the river itself being lost among
the marshes. Up to this point, it had received no accession of waters
from either side; but on the contrary, was constantly dissipating itself
in lagoons and swamps.
"The impossibility of proceeding farther in conjunction with the boats
being evident, I determined upon mature deliberation to haul them up; and
divesting ourselves of every thing that could possibly be spared, proceed
with the horses loaded with the additional provisions from the boats, on
such a course towards the coast as would intersect any stream that might
arise from the divided waters of the Lachlan.
"In pursuance of this plan, I quitted the river on the 17th of May,
taking a south-west course towards Cape Northumberland, as the best
adapted to answer my intended purpose.
