The Bogan still coming from the south-east, we continued our journey in that direction for four miles beyond the cattle station and then halted.  Near this camp two branches of the Bogan united, and the one which came from the eastward appeared to contain most water.  I calculated that we were within eleven miles of Cookopie; a pond in our old track at which we had encamped on the 13th of April, and which bore south-east from this camp.  Here we killed our last remaining sheep but one:  and it was worthy of remark that, after travelling upwards of 1100 miles, it was found to be fatter and weigh more by two pounds than any of those which had been previously killed as we proceeded, although the best had been always selected for slaughter.  It appears thus how well a wandering and migratory life agrees with sheep in this hemisphere, as of old in the other.  Ours gave very little trouble, and at length became so tame that they followed the horses or cattle like dogs.  The sheep were leanest on the Darling, and on their way back their improved appearance was remarkable.

September 10.

Accompanied by four natives and a boy we continued our journey, and as my reckoning since I deviated from our old route had been by time only, I allowed a black named Old-Fashioned and the boy to guide us to Cookopie.  In going south-west we soon crossed the first creek, and for some way could not proceed on the bearing which led to the other as the natives pointed, and which had the best ponds in it.  At length its course came more from the northward, and we travelled on good, open, forest-land, until our guides brought us directly to the very pond of water beside which we formerly encamped.  We had travelled but nine miles, which was two miles less than I reckoned the distance to be, a pleasant discovery in our present case when even the proposed journey for the day, although short, had appeared too much for the very weak condition of our animals.  I had indeed thought of going up the first creek in order to join our route at Coogoorduroy; but we had now been so fortunate as to gain, by a journey of nine miles, the point which, had we gone round by Coogoorduroy, must have been the end of our second day’s journey.  We had here the satisfaction of recognising the track of my courier’s horse tracing our foot-marks homewards at a good fast pace.  This pond was nearly dry, the little water remaining being thick and green.  It was more however than I expected to find, and it was quite sufficient for our wants.

GOOBANG CREEK.

By resting here it was in my power to reach, by another day’s travelling, Goobang creek, where the ponds were deep and clear and the grass good.  This pond of Cookopie appeared to be near the head of a small run of water arising in hills behind Pagormungor, a trap hill distant only five or six miles along our route homeward.

September 11.