Before I got up this morning I was informed that the same unlucky mare which had already caused the death of one of the horses had just broken the thigh of my own horse; and thus I was forced to have it shot when it was in better condition than usual, having been spared from working much for some time that it might be fresh for this excursion.  Such an inauspicious event on the morning of my intended departure for the Darling was by no means encouraging.  I left The Widow at the depot camp, having given directions that she should have rations and that every care should be taken of the child whose broken limb had been set and bound to a board in such a manner that the little patient could not, by moving, disturb the bone in healing.  Mr. Stapylton was aware of the necessity for preventing The Widow from going back just then, lest she might have fallen into the hands of any pilfering tribe likely to follow us.  The accident which had befallen Ballandella (of whom she was very fond) was however likely to be a tie on her, at least until our return; for it would have been very injurious to have moved the child in less than several weeks.  A stockyard was to be erected for the cattle that they might be brought up there every night during our absence; and the men appointed to remain at the depot were told off in watches for the cattle and camp.

PROCEED TO THE DARLING WITH A PORTION OF THE PARTY.

Mr. Stapylton and I then separated with a mutual and most sincere wish that we should meet again as soon as possible.  The position of the camp was excellent, being on the elevated edge of a plain overlooking an extensive reach of water, and surrounded with grass in greater abundance and variety than we had seen in any part for some time.

During our progress this day we were for some miles in danger of being shut in by the creek extending from the lake, as it increased prodigiously and at length resembled a still reach of the Murrumbidgee itself.  After crossing it several times I was fortunate enough to be able to keep the right bank, by which we got clear, passing along the edge of a slight fall which looked like the berg of the main stream.

REACH THE MURRAY.

At 7 1/2 miles we crossed ground of a more open character than any we had seen for some days; and it appeared to belong to the river margin, as it was marked by some yarra trees.  On approaching this river I judged, from the breadth of its channel, that we were already on the banks of the Murray.  Thus without making any detour, and much sooner than I had reason to expect from the engraved map, we had reached the Murray, and our depot thus proved to be in the best situation for subsequently crossing that river at its junction with the Murrumbidgee, as originally intended.  Leaving a little plain on our right, we entered the goborro or box-forest with the intention of keeping near the river; but from this we had to recede on meeting with a small but deep branch of the stream with some water in it.  Proceeding next directly towards some high trees at the western extremity of the plains, we reached a favourable bend of the Murray and there encamped.