At about seven miles from the river we passed some barren freestone ridges, near which Mr. Hume killed the first kangaroo we had seen.  At mid-day we passed a small creek, at which the cattle were watered; and afterwards continued our journey through a country similar to that over which we had already made our way.

As we neared the stream we noticed the acacia pendula for the first time,—­an indication of our approach to the marshes.  The weather still continued extremely hot.  Our journey this day was unusually long, and our cattle suffered so much, and moved so slowly, that it was late when we struck upon the Macquarie, at a part where its banks were so high that we had some difficulty in finding a good watering place.

Surprise some natives.

Being considerably in front of the party, with one of our guides, when we neared the river, I came suddenly upon a family of natives.  They were much terrified, and finding that they could not escape, called vehemently to some of their companions, who were in the distance.  By the time Mr. Hume came up, they had in some measure recovered their presence of mind, but availed themselves of the first favourable moment to leave us.  I was particular in not imposing any restraint on these men, in consequence of which they afterwards mustered sufficient resolution to visit us in our camp.  We now judged that we were about ten miles from the cataract, and that, according to the accounts of the stockman, we could not be very distant from the lake he had mentioned.

Native burial place.

As I was unwilling to pass any important feature of the country without enquiry or examination, I requested Mr. Hume to interrogate the strangers on the subject.  They stated that they belonged to the lake tribe, that the lake was a short day’s journey to the eastward, and that they would guide us to it if we wished.  The matter was accordingly arranged.  They left us at dusk, but returned to the camp at the earliest dawn; when we once more crossed the river, and, after traversing a very level country for about nine miles, arrived at our destination.  We passed over the dried beds of lagoons, and through coppices of cypresses and acacia pendula, or open forest, but did not observe any of the barren stony ridges so common to the N.E.  About a mile, or a mile and a half, from the lake we examined a solitary grave that had recently been constructed.  It consisted of an oblong mound, with three semicircular seats.  A walk encompassed the whole, from which three others branched off for a few yards only, into the forest.  Several cypresses, overhanging the grave, were fancifully carved on the inner side, and on one the shape of a heart was deeply engraved.

Buddah lake.