HORSES.

October 19.

The first half of this day was required for the passage of the horses one by one; and for taking the carts across.  We left the boat carriage on the left bank and sunk the boat in a deep lagoon on the right bank, to remain there until the party should return to the spot with a stock of provisions for Mr. Stapylton.  Here the last mountain barometer, which had been carried in excellent order throughout the journey, lost mercury so copiously that I could not hope to use it any more, time being then too valuable to admit of delay; and thus my list of observations terminated on the Murray.  I supposed that the intense heat of the sun to which the instrument had been exposed when tied to a tree for some hours after the tents had been struck had contracted the leathern bag so much as to loosen it from the edges of the cylinder, and thus formed openings through which the mercury had escaped.  The breadth of the Murray was 80 yards at the place where we crossed it and the mean depth was 3 1/2 fathoms.  At length I saw with great satisfaction my party on the right bank of this great river; having now no other stream to cross until we reached the Murrumbidgee where we might consider ourselves at home.

PARTY RETURNING TO MEET MR. STAPYLTON.

Just at this time Archibald McKane, a carpenter, came forward and proposed to return with any two of the men and the native Tommy to meet the party coming after us upon the Goulburn; and to construct there such rafts of casks and other gear as might enable Mr. Stapylton to cross that river and the Ovens and so come forward to the Murray; an arrangement which would render it unnecessary for me to send back any cattle or the boat as intended.  I was much pleased with the proposal of McKane and, Tommy Came-last being also willing to return, I appointed John Douglas, a sailor and most handy man, and Charles King, a man who feared nothing, to accompany McKane.  Full rations were issued to the four and, having given them a letter for Mr. Stapylton, the little party returned towards the houseless wilds, when we left the Murray to continue our journey homewards.  Although we did not set off before one o’clock we this day travelled fourteen miles, but did not encamp till long after sunset.  The scarcity of water compelled us to travel thus far, for none had been seen except one small muddy pool until I reached the valley where we encamped, and even there we found little more than enough for ourselves and cattle.

October 20.

After travelling five miles over tolerable land we crossed a range of very fine-grained granite consisting of felspar, quartz, and small particles of mica and having a very crystalline aspect.  This range was a branch from a higher mass on our right.  At seven miles we crossed the shoulder of a hill whence I intersected others to the right.  This also consisted of fine-grained granite, similar to that of the other hill, but it was not so red and had fewer spangles of mica.