I can hardly say that I was disappointed on my arrival at Mount Harris, to find its neighbourhood silent and deserted.  I remained, however, under it for the greater part of the next day, and, prior to leaving it, placed a sheet of paper with written instructions against a tree, though almost without a hope that it would remain untouched.

Perplexing situation.

A little after sun-set we reached the first small marsh, at which we slept; and on the following morning I crossed the plains of the Macquarie, and joined the party at about fifteen miles from the creek at which I had left it.  I found it in a condition that was as unlooked for by Mr. Hume as it was unexpected by me, and really in a most perplexing situation.

On the day I left him, Mr. Hume only advanced about two miles, in consequence of some derangement in the loads.  Having crossed the creek, he, the next morning, proceeded down its right bank, until it entered the marshes and was lost.  He then continued to move on the outskirts of the latter, and having performed a journey or about eight miles, was anxious to have stopped, but there was no water at hand.  The men, however, were so fatigued, in consequence of previous illness, that he felt it necessary to halt after travelling about eleven miles.

No water could be procured even here, notwithstanding that Mr. Hume, who was quite unfit for great exertion, underwent considerable bodily fatigue in his anxiety to find some.  He was, therefore, obliged to move early on the following morning, but neither men nor animals were in a condition to travel; and he had scarcely made three miles’ progress, when he stopped and endeavoured to obtain a supply or water by digging pits among the reeds.  From these he had drawn sufficient for the wants of the people when I arrived.  Some rain had fallen on the 6th and 7th of the month, or it is more than probable the expedient to which he resorted would have failed of success.  Mr. Hume, I was sorry to observe, looked very unwell; but nothing could prevent him from further endeavours to extricate the party from its present embarrassment.

Journey continued.

As soon as I had taken a little refreshment, therefore, I mounted a fresh horse; and he accompanied me across a small plain, immediately in front of the camp, which was subject to overflow and covered with polygonum, having a considerable extent of reeds to its right.

From the plain we entered a wood of blue-gum, in which reeds, grass, and brush formed a thick coppice.  We at length passed into an open space, surrounded on every side by weeds in dense bodies.  The great marsh bore south of us, and was clear and open, but behind us the blue-gum trees formed a thick wood above the weeds.