ss. There was an appearance of water between the
ranges, and they looked like islands in an immense lake. He did not think
he could have been deceived by the effect of mirage; but felt satisfied,
according to his own judgment, that he had seen a large body of water to
the N.W. Mr. Poole did not succeed in finding any convenient place to
which to remove the party, and his guide persisting in his statement that
there was no water in the hills, he thought it better to return to the
camp.

However doubtful I might have been as to the reality of the existence of
water in the direction to which Mr. Poole referred, it was clear that
there were other and loftier ranges beyond those visible from the river.
Taking everything into consideration, I determined on moving the camp to
Cawndilla, and on proceeding myself to the north-west as soon as I should
have established it in a secure place.

I was employed on the 16th in reporting our progress to the Governor, as
Nadbuck and Camboli were to leave us in the afternoon on their return to
Lake Victoria. Both were exceedingly impatient to commence their journey,
but when I came out with the bag old Nadbuck evinced great emotion and
sorrow, nor could we look on the departure of our old and tried guide
without regret. He had really served us well and faithfully, and if he
had anything to do in propagating the several reports by which we had
been deceived in our progress up the Darling, I believe it was with a
view to prevent our going into a country from which he thought we should
never return. We rewarded him as he deserved, and sent both him and his
companions away with provisions sufficient to last them during the
greater part of their journey, but we afterwards learnt that with the
improvident generosity of the savage, they had appointed to meet a number
of their friends in the bush, and consumed their whole supply before
sunset.

The weather had cleared, and as we were enabled to connect the Darling
with the hilly country, I directed Mr. Poole to measure a base line from
a point at the back of our camp to the westward. This base line ran along
the sandy ridge above the flats of Laidley's Ponds towards Cawndilla, so
that we had no detention, but left the Darling on the 17th.

The drays started early in the forenoon, but I remained until two, to
take some lunars with Mr. Browne. At that hour we rode along the dray
tracks, and at six miles descended into the bed of the lake, and cro