I had fixed against the tree, and also the letters
I had hid, and had forwarded them to Sydney, by another soldier and a
prisoner; which had weakened their party a good deal. Riley informed
me, that he had been between a month and three weeks at the station,
and that knowing our provisions must have run short he had expected us
much earlier than we had made our appearance.

My dispatches stated, that additional supplies had been forwarded for
my use, together with horses and bullocks, in the event of my requiring
them. On examination, the former were found to be in excellent order;
and, as it would take some time to carry any changes I might
contemplate, or find it necessary to make, into effect, I determined to
give the men who had been with me a week's rest.

ENCAMP AT MOUNT HARRIS.

The camp was made snug; and as the weather had become much cooler I
thought it a good opportunity to slaughter one of the bullocks, in
order to guard against any bad effects of our having been living for
some weeks exclusively on salt provisions. I was also induced to this
measure, from a wish to preserve my supplies as much as possible.

These matters having been arranged, I had a temporary awning erected
near the river, and was for three or four days busily employed writing
an account of our journey for the Governor's information.

Having closed my despatches, and answered the numerous friendly letters
I had received, my attention was next turned to the changes that had
taken place at Mount Harris during our absence. The Macquarie, I found,
had wholly ceased to flow, and now consisted of a chain of ponds. Such
of the minor vegetation as had escaped the fires of the natives, had
perished under the extreme heat of the season. The acacia pendula stood
leafless upon the plains, and the polygonum junceum appeared to be the
only plant that had withstood the effects of the drought. Yet,
notwithstanding this general depression of the vegetable kingdom, the
animals that had been brought from Wellington Valley were in the best
condition, and were, indeed, too fat for effective labour; it might,
therefore, be reasonably presumed, that herbage affording such
nourishment in so unfavourable a season, would be of the richest
quality, if fresh and vigorous under the influence of seasonable, and
not excessive, rains.

FIRING OF THE GREAT MARSHES.

The appearance of the country was, however, truly melancholy; there was
not a flower in bloom, nor