x. The country preserved an
uniform level, nor did Mr. Hume, from the highest trees, observe any
break on the horizon.

On the 2nd of January, Mr. Hume kept more northerly, being unable to
penetrate the brushes he encountered. At two miles he crossed a creek
leading to the N.W., between which and the place at which he had slept,
he passed a native burial ground, containing eight graves. The earth
was piled up in a conical shape, but the trees were not carved over as
he had seen them in most other places.

The country became more open after he had passed the last mentioned
creek, which he again struck upon at the distance of eight miles, and
as it was then leading to the N.N.E. he followed it down for eighteen
or twenty miles, and crossed it frequently during the day. The creek
was dry in most places, and where he stopped for the night the water
was bad, and the cattle feed indifferent.

Mr. Hume saw many huts, but none of them had been recently occupied,
although large quantities of muscle-shells were scattered about. He
computed that he had travelled about thirty miles, in a N.N.W.
direction, and the whole of the land he passed over was, generally
speaking, bad, nor did it appear to be subject to overflow.

On the 3rd, Mr. Hume proceeded down the creek on which he had slept, on
a northern course, under an impression that it would have joined the
Castlereagh, but it took a N.W. direction after he had ridden about
four miles, and then turned again to the eastward of north. In
consequence of this, he left it, and proceeded to the westward, being
of opinion that the river just mentioned must have taken a more
northerly course than Mr. Oxley supposed it to have done.

A short time after Mr. Hume turned towards the Macquarie, the country
assumed a more pleasing appearance. He soon cleared the brushes, and at
two miles came upon a chain of ponds, again running northerly in times
of flood. Shortly after crossing these, he found himself on an
extensive plain, apparently subject to overflow. The timber on it was
chiefly of the blue-gum kind, and the ground was covered with shells.
He then thought he was approaching the Macquarie, and proceeded due
west across the flat for about two miles. At the extremity of it there
was a hollow, which he searched in vain for water. Ascending about
thirty feet, he entered a thick brush of box and acacia pendula, which
continued for fourteen miles, when it terminated abruptly, and
extensiv