Green bushes grew luxuriantly, and amongst them, in a romantic looking spot, three separate graves had been recently erected.  Still we could perceive neither signs of water nor any of the natives who might have told us where to find it.  Crossing another small plain of firm ground we came upon what seemed to be the main channel of the Lachlan, pursuing a course to the west-north-west.  It had not however above one-third of the capacity of the bed above, but in every other respect it was similar.  Having in vain looked for a waterhole we hastened towards another line of trees which we reached by sunset.  It consisted of the yarra kind also, but overhung what was only a hollow in the midst of a plain, although evidently subject to inundation.

SECOND NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.

To find water there seemed quite out of the question; but we were nevertheless obliged to halt, for the sun had set.  Late in the night, as we lay burning with thirst and dreaming of water, a species of duck flew over our heads which, from its peculiar note, I knew I had previously heard on the Darling.  It was flying towards the south-west.

April 24.

We proceeded on the bearing of 80 degrees east of south, towards the nearest bend of a line of yarra river-trees.  There we found, after riding two miles, another diminutive Lachlan, precisely similar to the former, but rather less:  it was very sinuous in its course and full of holes, but surrounded by green bushes with chirping birds; but it was too obvious that these holes had been long, long dry.  Thence I pursued a course 24 degrees North of East over naked ground, evidently subject at times to inundation, towards other large trees; being anxious to cross all the arms of the Lachlan before taking up its general course to guide us back to our camp which lay then, by my calculation, 43 miles in direct distance, higher up the river.

NATIVE TUMULUS.

On this flat we passed a newly-raised tumulus, a remarkable circumstance considering the situation; for I had observed that the natives of the Darling always selected the higher ground for burying in; and it might be presumed that, on this part of the Lachlan, the tribe (whose marks were numerous on the trees) could find no heights within their territory.

REEDY SWAMP WITH DEAD TREES.

We found that this belt of river-trees enclosed a dry swamp only, covered with dead reeds, amongst which stood a forest of dead yarra trees, bearing well-defined marks of water in dark stained rings at the height of about four feet on their barkless trunks.  The soil was soft and rich and, where no roots of reeds bound it together, it opened in yawning cracks which were very deep.  This dried up swamp was nearly a mile broad, and beyond it we found firm open and good ground; some very large eucalypti or yarra growing between it and the edge of the reeds.

ROUTE OF MR. OXLEY.