Prosecution of our course into the interior—­Mosquito Brush—­Aspect and productions of the country—­Hunting party of natives—­Courageous conduct of one of them—­Mosquitoes—­A man missing—­Group of hills called New-Year’s Range—­Journey down New-Year’s Creek—­Tormenting attack of the kangaroo fly—­Dreariness and desolation of the country—­Oxley’s Table Land—­D’Urban’s Group—­Continue our journey down New-Year’s Creek—­ Extreme Disappointment on finding it salt—­Fall in with a tribe of natives—­Our course arrested by the want of fresh water—­Extraordinary sound—­Retreat towards the Macquarie.

We left our position at the head of the plain early on the 13th of January, and, ere the sun dipped, had entered a very different country from that in which we had been labouring for the last three weeks.  We had, as yet, passed over little other than an alluvial soil, but found that it changed to a red loam in the brushes immediately backing the camp.  An open forest track succeeded this, over which the vegetation had an unusual freshness, indicating that the waters had not long subsided from its surface.  We shortly afterwards crossed a hollow, similar to that Mr. Hume had described, in which bulrushes had taken the place of reeds.  Flooded-gum trees, of large size, were also growing in it, but on either side box alone prevailed, under which the forest grass grew to a considerable height.  We crossed the hollow two or three times, and as often remarked the line of separation between those trees.  The last time we crossed it the country rose a few feet, and we journeyed for the remainder of the day, at one time over good plains, at another through brushes, until we found water and feed, at which we stopped for the night, after having travelling about thirteen miles on a W. by N. course.  The mosquitoes were so extremely troublesome at this place that we called it Mosquito Brush.  At this time my men were improving rapidly, and Mr. Hume complained less, and looked better.  I hoped, therefore, that our progress would be rapid into the interior.

Creek leading northerly; productions of the country.

On the 14th we took up a westerly course, and in the first instance traversed a plain of great extent; the soil of which was for the most part a red sandy loam, but having patches of light earth upon it.  The former was covered with plants of the chenopedia kind; the latter had evidently been quagmires, and bore even then the appearance of moisture.  At about seven miles from Mosquito Brush we struck upon a creek of excellent water, upon which the wild fowl were numerous.  Some natives was seen, but they were only women, and seemed so alarmed that I purposely avoided them.  As the creek was leading northerly, we traced it down on that course for about seven miles, and then halted upon its banks, which were composed of a light tenacious earth.  Brushes of casuarina existed near it, but a tortuous box was the prevailing