to secure two or three of the bullocks running in the bush. We
therefore arranged that a party should go out in the morning to scour the
wood, and drive any cattle they might find towards the river, at which I
was to be prepared to entice them to our animals. Accordingly Mr. Poole
and Mr. Browne, with Flood and Mack, started at sunrise. It was near
twelve, however, when Mr. Browne returned with Flood, who had met with a
sad accident, and had three of the first joints of the fingers of his
right hand carried off by the discharge of his fusee whilst loading. He
had incautiously put on the cap and was galloping at the time, but kept
his seat. Mr. Browne informed me they had seen a great many cattle, but
that they were exceedingly wild, and started off the moment the horsemen
appeared, insomuch that they could not turn them, and it was with a view
to drive them towards the river that Flood fired at them. However none
approached the camp. Mr. Poole returned late in the afternoon equally
unsuccessful. Mr. Browne dressed Flood's hand, who bore it exceedingly
well, and only expressed his regret that he should be of no use on the
Darling in the event of any rupture with the natives. I remained
stationary, as Mr. Browne thought it would be necessary to keep Flood
quiet for a day or two. On the following day we resumed our journey, and
reached the junction of the ancient channel of the Darling with the
Murray about 11. The floods were running into it with great velocity, and
the water had risen to a considerable height, so that many trees were
standing in it. I remained here until noon, when a meridian altitude
placed us in lat. 34 degrees 4 minutes 34 seconds. We then bade adieu to
the Murray, and turned northwards to overtake the party, which under
Nadbuck's guidance had cut off the angle into which we had gone. With the
Murray we lost its fine trees and grassy flats. The Ana-branch had a
broad channel and long reaches of water; but was wholly wanting in
pasture or timber of any size. The plains of the interior formed the
banks, and nothing but salsolae grew on them. We encamped at eight miles
from the junction, where there happened to be a little grass, but were
obliged to keep the cattle in yoke and the horses tethered to prevent
their wandering. As we advanced up the Ana-branch on the following day,
its channel sensibly diminished in breadth, and at eleven miles we
reached a hollow, beyond which the floods had not worked their w