t the Macquarie would never assume its
natural shape, but from the direction of the marshes I could not but
indulge a hope that it would meet the Castlereagh, and that their
united waters might form a stream of some importance. Under this
impression I determined on again sending Mr. Hume to the N.E. in order
to ascertain the nature of the country in that direction.

EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-WEST.

The weather was excessively hot, and as my men were but slowly
recovering, I was anxious while those who were in health continued
active, to give the others a few days of rest. I proposed, therefore,
to cross the river, and to make an excursion into the interior, during
the probable time of Mr. Hume's absence; since if, as I imagined, the
Macquarie had taken a permanent northerly course, I should not have an
opportunity of examining the distant western country. Mr. Hume's
experience rendered it unnecessary for me to give him other than
general directions.

A PLAIN ON FIRE.

On the last day of the year we left the camp, each accompanied by two
men. I had the evening previously ordered the horses I intended taking
with me across the channel, and at an early hour of the morning I
followed them. Getting on a plain, immediately after I had disengaged
myself from the reeds on the opposite side of the river, which was full
of holes and exceedingly treacherous for the animals, I pushed on for a
part of the wood Mr. Hume had endeavoured to gain from the boat, with
the intention of keeping near the marsh. On entering it, I found myself
in a thick brush of eucalypti, casuarinae and minor trees; the soil
under them being mixed with sand. I kept a N.N.W. course through it,
and at the distance of three miles from its commencement, ascended a
tree, to ascertain if I was near the marshes; when I found that I was
fast receding from them. I concluded, therefore, that my conjecture as
to their direction was right, and altered my course to N.W., a
direction in which I had observed a dense smoke arising, which I
supposed had been made by some natives near water. At the termination
of the brush I crossed a barren sandy plain, and from it saw the smoke
ascending at a few miles' distance from me. Passing through a wood, at
the extremity of the plain, I found myself at the outskirts of an open
space of great extent, almost wholly enveloped in flames. The fire was
running with incredible rapidity through the rhagodia shrubs with which
it was covered