for the information of His
Excellency the Governor, that I returned to this eminence on Monday,
the 23rd ult. having been driven from the interior, in consequence of
the extreme drought which prevails there.

I am to state, in reference to my former communication, that agreeably
to what I then reported, I moved, on the 26th December last, lower down
the plains of the Macquarie, but encountered a barrier of reeds, formed
by the marshes of that river, through which we in vain endeavoured to
force our way. I was in consequence obliged to make the nearest part of
the river to my left, and to take such measures as the nature of my
situation required. Here, for the first time, I set the boat afloat,
deeming it essential to trace the river, as I could not move upon its
banks, and wishing also to ascertain where it again issued from the
marshes, I requested Mr. Hume to proceed northerly, with a view to
skirt them, and to descend westerly, wherever he saw an open space. He
was fortunate enough to strike upon the channel about twelve miles
north of our position, but was obstructed in his further progress by
another marsh, in consequence of which he returned to the camp the next
day; in the mean time, I had taken the boat, and proceeded down the
Macquarie, my way being at first considerably obstructed by fallen
timber: clearing this obstacle, however, I got into a deeper channel,
with fine broad reaches, and a depth of from twelve to fifteen feet
water. I had a short time previously cleared all woods and trees, and
was now in the midst of reeds of great height. After proceeding onwards
for about eight miles from the place whence I started, my course was
suddenly and unexpectedly checked; I saw reeds before me, and expected
I was about to turn an angle of the river, but I found that I had got
to the end of the channel, and that the river itself had ceased to
exist. Confounded at such a termination to a stream, whose appearance
justified the expectation that it would have led me through the heart
of the marsh to join Mr. Hume, I commenced a most minute examination of
the place, and discovered two creeks, if they deserve the name,
branching, the one to the north-west, and the other to the north-east;
after tracing the former a short distance, I reached its termination,
and in order to assure myself that such was the case, I walked round
the head of it by pushing through the reeds; it being then too dark to
continue where I was, I re