nt to some sense of its responsibility, and it agreed to do
something in the matter. This "something" amounted to six pack-saddles
and gear, one tent of Parramatta cloth, two tarpaulins, a suit of slop
clothes a-piece for the men, and an order to Hume to select 1,200 acres
of land for himself. In addition, the Government generously granted the
explorers two skeleton charts upon which to trace the route of their
journey, some bush utensils, and promised a cash payment for the hire of
the cattle should an important discovery be made. This cash payment was
refused on their return, although one would have thought that the
discovery of the Hume (Murray) should surely take rank as an important
discovery. Hume also stated that he had much difficulty in obtaining
tickets-of-leave for the men, and the confirmation of his own order to
select land for himself.

Each of the leaders brought with him three men, so that the strength of
the party was eight all told. Their outfit of animals consisted of five
bullocks and three horses, and they had two carts with them.

Hovell was born at Yarmouth on the 26th of April, 1786. He arrived in
Sydney in 1813, but after being engaged in the coasting trade with
occasional trips to New Zealand, he had relinquished his career as a
sailor and had settled at Narellan, New South Wales. After his exploring
expedition with Hume, he settled down at Goulburn, and he died at Sydney
in 1876.

On the 14th of October, 1824, Hume and Hovell left Lake George. Reaching
the Murrumbidgee, they found that river flooded, and after waiting three
days for the water to fall, they crossed it borne on the body of one of
their carts, with the wheels detached, and with the aid of the tarpaulin,
rigged like a punt. South of the Murrumbidgee the country was broken and
difficult to traverse, but it was well grassed and admirably adapted for
grazing purposes. As it became too rough for the passage of their carts,
these were abandoned, and the baggage and rations were packed on the
bullocks for the remainder of their journey.

After following the course of the Murrumbidgee for some days, the
travellers turned from its bank and pursued a south-westerly direction,
which led them through hills and valleys richly grassed and plenteously
endowed with running streams. On the 8th of November they beheld a sight
rarely witnessed before by white men in Australia. Ascending a range in
order to obtain a view of the country ahead of t