in the first instance, have
been brought from the interior by water, and then have been blown by the
strong prevailing south-east winds across the country in a direction at
least 50 degrees from that which they originally came from; this, with
the clean water-worn appearance of the sand, the bold outlines of the
hills seen to the far east, and the number of native fires observed in
the same direction, must all tend to support the hypothesis that the
western half of Australia is probably drained by a large river in about
this meridian. I could not, therefore, help regretting more than ever
that we should be driven back at such an interesting spot; but mature
reflection convinced me that any further attempt with our present means,
at this period of the year, was almost certain to be attended with the
most disastrous results; I therefore decided upon adopting the only other
useful course open to us--that of examining down to the sea the rivers
already discovered. With this in view, we to-day fell back five or six
miles across the ranges to a tributary to the Oakover, called the Davis,
when one of the horses became so crippled by a strain in the loins that
we were obliged to halt to give him a chance of recovery, affording me
leisure to verify our position by observing another set of lunar
distances, which I found to agree well with those formerly taken ten
miles to the westward. Camp 78.

DOWN THE OAKOVER RIVER.

12th September.

We commenced the descent of the Davis, having much difficulty in getting
along the sick horse, as it required the united strength of the party to
lift him on his legs every time he fell, which he at last did so
frequently that I ordered him to be shot, as it was hopeless to attempt
to bring him on, and if left, he must have died of starvation. By 2.0
p.m. we reached the junction of the stream we were upon with the Oakover,
and halted two miles south of Camp 72; most of the party being now
dismounted, shoe-leather was beginning to get very scarce with us. Camp
79.

13th September.

This day we only travelled eight miles down the Oakover, and encamped
near a deep creek, in which was caught a good haul of fish. Camp 80.

14th September.

The feed was so good on this river that we were able to proceed to-day to
latitude 20 degrees 59 minutes 33 seconds; the country improving much,
grassy flats extending for some miles to the northward, the channel of
the river being augmented by the junction