mselves, what
had we to expect from a creek whose diminished appearance where we left
it made us apprehend its speedy termination, and whose banks we
traversed under constant apprehension? In any other country I should
have followed such a water course, in hopes of its ultimately leading
to some reservoir; but here I could encourage no such favourable
anticipation.

The only new object that struck our sight was a remarkable and distant
hill of conical shape, bearing by compass S. 10 E. To the southward and
westward, in the direction of D'Urban's Group, a dense and apparently
low brush extended; but to the N. and N.W., there was a regular
alternation of wood and plain. I left Mr. Hume upon the hill, that he
might the more readily notice any smoke made by the natives; and
returned myself to the camp about one o'clock, to move the party to the
swamp. Mr. Hume's perseverance was of little avail. The region he had
been overlooking was, to all appearance, uninhabited, nor did a single
fire indicate that there was even a solitary wanderer upon its surface.

EXCURSION TO D'URBAN'S GROUP.

Our situation, at this time, was extremely embarrassing, and the only
circumstance on which we had to congratulate ourselves was, the
improved condition of our men; for several of the cattle and horses
were in a sad plight. The weather had been so extremely oppressive,
that we had found it impossible to keep them free from eruptions. I
proposed to Mr. Hume, therefore, to give them a few days' rest, and to
make an excursion, with such of them as were serviceable, to D'Urban's
Group. We were both of us unwilling to return to the creek, but we
foresaw that a blind reliance upon fortune, in our next movements,
might involve us in inextricable difficulty.

On the other hand, there was a very great risk in delay. It was more
than probable, from the continued drought, that our retreat would be
cut off from the want of water, or that we should only be enabled to
effect our retreat with loss of most of the animals. The hope, however,
of our intersecting some stream, or of falling upon a better country,
prevailed over other considerations; and the excursion was,
consequently, determined upon.

DISTRESS FROM WANT OF WATER.

We left the camp on the 25th, accompanied by Hopkinson and the tinker;
and, almost immediately after, entered an acacia scrub of the most
sterile description, and one, through which it would have been
impossible to have found