f our return to the place at which we
had slept. We took fresh horses, but dispensed with any other
attendants, and indeed went wholly unarmed.

CAMP OF NATIVES.

After following our old track to its termination, we kept up the right
bank of the channel, and at length arrived at the camp of the natives;
thus satisfying ourselves that we had been journeying on the
Castlereagh, and that we were still following it down. By this ride we
ascertained that there was a distance of five-and-forty miles in its
bed without a drop of water. Few of the natives were in the camp. The
women avoided us, but not as if they were under any apprehension.
Crossing at the head of the pool, we again got on our old track, but
seeing two or three men coming towards us we alighted, and, tying our
horses to a tree, went to meet them. One poor fellow had two ducks in
his hand, which he had just taken off the fire; these he offered to us,
and on our declining to accept of them, he called to a boy, who soon
appeared with a large trough of honey, of which we partook. One of the
men had an ulcer in the arm, and asked me what he should do to heal it;
indeed, I believe Fraser had promised him some ointment, but not having
any with me, I signified to him that he should wash it often, and
stooping down, made as if I was taking up water in my hand. The poor
fellow mistook me, and, also stooping down, took up a handful of dust
which he threw over the sore. This gave me the trouble of explaining
matters again, and by pointing to the water, I believe I at length made
him understand me.

DRY CHANNEL OF THE RIVER.

These good natured people asked us where we had slept the day we
passed, and when informed of the direction, shook their heads,
motioning at the same time, that we must have been without water. We
informed them where the party was, and asked them to come and see us,
but I fancy the distance was too great, or else we were in the beat of
another tribe. On mentioning these facts to the men, they said that two
of the natives had followed us for some miles, calling out loudly to
us, but Mr. Hume and I both being in front, we did not hear them,
although, evidently, they wished to save us distress.

Since the result of our excursion proved that the channel, about which
I had been so doubtful, was the Castlereagh, it necessarily followed,
that the creek at which we were encamped was one of those (most
probably Morrisset's chain of ponds,) which we had a