At Twelve Miles, We Crossed
A Chain Of Ponds Leading To The North.
Last evening we suspected that we had been watched by the natives.
I saw
some of them, and our resting-place was surrounded by their smokes; they
however did not attempt to molest us. Stopped in an acacia pendula brush,
having travelled about twenty miles.
July 15. - It came on to rain in the night, and continued all this day.
Our journey was dreadfully bad and marshy; yet on the whole the country
had a better aspect, not being so much overrun with the plant called
atriplex as usual. On my track out, plains, brushes, indeed almost the
entire surface was covered with it, until within a few miles of
Arbuthnot's Range. After going about three miles, we again fell in with
and forded the river crossed on the 11th instant: it was here not quite
so wide as when first seen, but deeper. Halted, having gone about ten
miles.
July 16. - I altered my course from south-west to west, 80 degrees south,
and had an extremely tedious and unpleasant day's journey, through a wet
and dreary country; continued rain. Travelled fifteen miles.
July 18. - Arrived at the hut about one o'clock, p.m., having travelled
yesterday and to-day about thirty-seven miles.
(Signed) G. W. EVANS.
* * * * *
No. V.
GOVERNMENT, AND GENERAL ORDERS.
Government House, Parramatta,
December 5, 1818.
CIVIL DEPARTMENT.
The sanguine hope which his excellency the governor was induced to
entertain, that, by pursuing the course of the Macquarie River, which had
been discovered running in a north-west direction by John Oxley, Esq., on
his return last year from tracing the course of the Lachlan to the
south-west, would have amply compensated for the disappointment sustained
on that occasion; and his excellency having in consequence accepted the
farther services of Mr. Oxley, on a second expedition; the party
consisting of John Oxley, Esq., surveyor general; John Harris, Esq., late
surgeon of the 102nd regiment, (who most liberally volunteered to
accompany the expedition); Mr. Evans, deputy surveyor general; and Mr.
Charles Fraser, colonial botanist; together with twelve men, having
eighteen horses and two boats, and provisions for twenty-four weeks, took
their final departure on the 4th of June last, from a depot prepared
for the occasion in the Wellington Valley, at about ninety miles west of
Bathurst; and those gentlemen, and the entire party, having a few days
since arrived at Port Jackson by sea, from the northward, his excellency
is happy in offering his most cordial congratulations to John Oxley,
Esq., the conductor of this expedition, and to John Harris, Esq., Mr.
Evans, and Mr. Fraser, on their safe return from this arduous
undertaking.
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