were floating on its surface, and it appeared as if the
water was pushed forward by some back impulse. On the 28th it was still
as low as ever; but on the morning of the 29th, when we got up it was
wholly changed. In a few hours it had been converted into a noble river,
and had risen more than five feet above its recent level. It was now
pouring along its muddy waters with foaming impetuosity, and carrying
away everything before it. Whence, it may be asked, come these floods?
and was it from the same cause that the Murray, as Tenbury stated, rose
so suddenly? Such were the questions that occurred to me. From the
natives I could gather nothing satisfactory. We were at this time between
three and four hundred miles from the sources of the Darling, and I could
hardly think that this fresh had come from such a distance. I was the
more disposed to believe, perhaps, because I hoped such would be the
case, that it was caused by heavy rains in the hills to the north-west of
Laidley's Ponds, and that it was pouring into the river through that
rivulet.

The natives who had accompanied us from the last tribe left at sunset, as
is their custom, after having received two blankets and some knives.
Being anxious to get to Laidley's Ponds, I started early, with the
intention of making a long journey, but circumstances obliged me to halt
at six miles. We crossed extensive and rich flats the whole of the way,
and found as usual an abundance of feed for our cattle. It would perhaps
be hazardous to give an opinion as to the probable availability of the
flats of the Darling: those next the stream had numerous herbs, as
spinach, indigoferae, clover, etc., all indicative of a better soil; but
the out flats were bare of vegetation, although there was no apparent
difference in their soil. One peculiarity is observable in the Darling,
that neither are there any reeds growing in its channel or on the flats.

Our journey on the last day of September terminated at noon, as we
arrived at a point from which it was evident the river takes a great
sweep to the eastward; and Nadbuck informed me that by going direct to
the opposite point, where, after coming up again, it turned to the north,
we should cut off many miles, but that it would take a whole day to
perform the journey. I determined therefore to follow his advice, and to
commence our journey across the bight at an early hour the following
morning, the 1st of October. I availed myself of the rem