DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING EITHER OF THE RIVERS OR ANY WATER.

Southward I could see no trace of the Lachlan, and I hastened towards the highest trees where I thought it turned in that direction.  I thus met the track of the carts at rightangles and galloped after them as they were driving through scrubs and over heaths away to the westward.  When I overtook them I found that Mr. Stapylton had crossed over to them and told Burnett to say to me that he had not seen the Lachlan.

SEARCH FOR THE MURRUMBIDGEE.

A row of lofty yarra trees appeared to the southward and, as I expected to find the Murrumbidgee among them, I directed my course thither, travelling to the westward of south as well as any appearance of water would allow.  We passed through a scrub which swarmed with kangaroos, bronze-wing pigeons, and cockatoos; also by a rather singular hollow resembling the bed of a dry lake, in which we found several grasses apparently new and very beautiful,* together with a low but wide-spreading bush which bore a fruit resembling a cherry in size and taste, but with a more elongated stone.

(Footnote.  A Poa near P. australis, R. Br. and Bromus australis of R. Br.)

After descending into what I had thought was the bed of a river we found unequal ground and saw, at a distance, patches of reeds, also lofty yarra trees growing all about.  On reaching the reeds we found they filled only very slight hollows in the surface and, after passing through them, we crossed another firm plain with atriplex and salsolae.  No river was to be seen, but another line of trees bounded this plain, exactly like those on the banks of streams, and on reaching it I felt confident of finding water; but on the contrary there was only an open forest of goodly trees without the least indication of it.

A NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.

The sun had now set and I directed the people to encamp while I rode forward in search of this river.  Passing through a thick scrub I observed another line of river trees, but I penetrated their shades with no better success than before.

HEAVY FALL OF RAIN.

A dark and stormy night of wind and rain closed over us and, notwithstanding the want of water which we were again destined to experience, we got wet enough before we regained the camp.  Mr. Stapylton had arrived there before me without having seen either the Lachlan or the Murrumbidgee in the course he had taken, and as the general bearings and directions I had given him did not admit of his deviating too far from the route of the carts he had been obliged to return unsuccessful.  After so long a day’s journey the cattle were doomed to pass another night yoked up, although surrounded by luxuriant pasture, for thus only could we prevent them from straying in search of water.  The rain however moistened the grass on this as on three former occasions when we had suffered the same privation; and the cattle were ordered to be loosened to feed at the earliest dawn.