We saw several red kangaroos in the course of the
day, and succeeded in killing one. It certainly
is a beautiful animal, ranging the wilds in native
freedom. The female and the kid are of a light
mouse-colour. Wild turkeys abound on this part
of the Morumbidgee, but with the exception of a few
terns, which are found hovering over the lagoons,
no new birds had as yet been procured; and the only
plant that enriched our collection, was an unknown
metrosideros. In crossing the extremity of the
range, the wheels of the dray sunk deep into a yielding
and coarse sandy soil, of decomposed granite, on which
forest-grass prevailed in tufts, which, being far
apart, made the ground uneven, and caused the animals
to trip. We rose at one time sufficiently high
to obtain an extensive view, and had our opinions
confirmed as to the level nature of the country we
were so rapidly approaching. From the N. to the
W.S.W. the eye wandered over a wooded and unbroken
interior, if I except a solitary double hill that
rose in the midst of it, bearing S. 82 degrees W.
distant 12 miles, and another singular elevation that
bore S. 32 degrees W. called by the natives, Kengal.
The appearance to the E.S.E. was still that of a mountainous
country, while from the N.E., the hills gradually
decrease in height, until lost in the darkness of
surrounding objects to the northward. We did not
travel this day more than 13 miles on a W. by N. course.
The Morumbidgee, where we struck it, by its increased
size, kept alive our anticipations of its ultimately
leading us to some important point. The partial
rains that had fallen while we were on its upper branch,
had swollen it considerably, and it now rolled along
a vast body of water at the rate of three miles an
hour, preserving a medium width of 150 feet; its banks
retaining a height far above the usual level of the
stream. A traveller who had never before descended
into the interior of New Holland, would have spurned
the idea of such a river terminating in marshes; but
with the experience of the former journey, strong
as hope was within my breast, I still feared it might
lose itself in the vast flat upon which we could scarcely
be said to have yet entered. The country was
indeed taking up more and more every day the features
of the N.W. interior. Cypresses were observed
upon the minor ridges, and the soil near the river,
although still rich, and certainly more extensive
than above, was occasionally mixed with sand, and scattered
over with the claws of crayfish and shells, indicating
its greater liability to be flooded; nor indeed could
I entertain a doubt that the river had laid a great
part of the levels around us under water long after
it found that channel in which nature intended ultimately
to confine it. We killed another fine red kangaroo
in the early part of the day, in galloping after which
I got a heavy fall.