We came upon a bend of the river with good waterholes at 11 3/4 miles, and encamped as usual on the clearest ground near it.

OXLEY’S TABLELAND.

May 20.

We moved forwards on the bearing of west-north-west until, at 5 1/2 miles, we reached the top of the Pink Hills, where, for the first time, I saw Oxley’s Tableland, bearing 5 degrees south of west, and distant apparently about thirteen or fourteen miles, also Druid’s Mount, bearing 10 1/2 degrees west of north.  Seeing the first-mentioned hill so near, I should have made for it, had I felt certain that water remained in the swamp mentioned by Captain Sturt, and that the bullocks could reach the hill before night.  But they were now proceeding slowly and half tired; and I considered it, upon due reflection, to be more advisable to go in a north-west direction towards the Bogan.  On the western slope of these hills we found some of the pinks in flower, from which probably they have been named.  There was also an unusual verdure about the grass, and a fragrance and softness in the western breeze which seemed to welcome us to that interior region, and imparted a mildness to the air, while picturesque clouds in the western sky led active fancy into still finer regions under them.

We finally encamped on a plain about a mile from the Bogan where the highest of Oxley’s Tableland bore 250 degrees from north, being distant eighteen miles.  We had now reached a better country for grass than we had seen since we left Buree; and there was still a verdure in the blade and stalk, as well as a fulness in the tufts, which looked well for our poor cattle after a continuous journey of sixteen days.

MR. LARMER’S EXCURSION TO IT.

May 21.

The party halted in this plain while Mr. Larmer went to Oxley’s Tableland to ascertain if the swamp there contained water.  Having to take some observations and bring up an arrear of various other matters, I could not then visit that hill, though I wished much to do so.  I found its latitude to be 30 degrees 11 minutes 15 seconds South, and longitude 146 degrees 16 minutes 9 seconds East.  The extreme lowness of the country and of the bed of the Bogan, which was now, according to the barometer, near the level of the sea, left little room to doubt that the Darling could be much above that level.  Mr. Larmer’s report, on returning in the evening after a ride of forty miles, was by no means in favour of Oxley’s Tableland as a place even of temporary encampment, there being no longer any swamp containing water; on the contrary, the only water that he could discover about the hill, after much search on and around it, was a small spring in a hollow on the northern side.  His account of the surrounding country was equally unfavourable, for he stated that it was very brushy, and without good grass.

NARROW ESCAPE FROM THE LOSS OF THE CATTLE.