from either side; but on the contrary, was constantly dissipating itself
in lagoons and swamps.

"The impossibility of proceeding farther in conjunction with the boats
being evident, I determined upon mature deliberation to haul them up; and
divesting ourselves of every thing that could possibly be spared, proceed
with the horses loaded with the additional provisions from the boats, on
such a course towards the coast as would intersect any stream that might
arise from the divided waters of the Lachlan.

"In pursuance of this plan, I quitted the river on the 17th of May,
taking a south-west course towards Cape Northumberland, as the best
adapted to answer my intended purpose. I will not here detail the
difficulties and privations we experienced in passing through a barren
and desolate country, without any water but such rain as was found
remaining in holes and the crevices of rocks. I continued this course
until the 9th of June, when having lost two horses through fatigue and
want, and the others being in a deplorable condition, I changed our
course to north, along a range of lofty hills running in that direction,
as they afforded the only means of procuring water until we should fall
in with some stream. On this course I continued until the 23rd of June,
when we again fell in with a stream, which we had at first some
difficulty to recognise as the Lachlan, it being little larger than one
of the branches of it where we quitted it on the 17th of May.

"I did not hesitate a moment to pursue the course of this stream, not
that the nature of the country or its own appearance in any manner
indicated that it would become navigable, or even permanent; but I was
unwilling that the smallest doubt should remain whether any navigable
waters fall westward into the sea, between the limits pointed out in my