the discordant shriek of
the parrots, or the hoarse croaking note of the bittern. They all passed
away simultaneously in a single day; the line of migration being directly
to the N.W., from which quarter we had small flights of ducks and
pelicans.

On the 5th of March I sent Mr. Browne to the S.W., to a small creek
similar to that in the Rocky Glen and in the same range, in the hope that
as we had seen fires in that direction he might fall in with the natives,
but he was unsuccessful.

On the 6th I sent Flood to the eastward to see if he could recover the
channel of the main creek on the other side of the plain on which Mr.
Poole had lost it; he returned the following day, with information that
at 25 miles from the Depot he had recovered it, and found more water than
he could have supposed. The day of Flood's return was exceedingly hot and
close, and in the evening we had distant thunder, but no rain.

In consequence of his report, I now determined on a journey to the
eastward to ascertain the character of the country between us and the
Darling, and left the camp with this intention on the 12th instant. I
should have started earlier than that day had not Mr. Poole's illness
prevented me, but as he rallied, I proceeded on my excursion, accompanied
by Mr. Browne, Flood, and another of the men. We observed several puddles
near our old camp on the main creek as we rode away, so that rain must
have fallen there though not at the Depot. After passing the little
conical hill of which I have already spoken, we traced the creek down
until we saw plains of great extent before us, and as the creek trended
to the south, skirting them on that side, we rode across them on a
bearing of 322 degrees or N.W.1/2 N. They were 7 or 8 miles in breadth,
and full 12 miles in length from east to west; their soil was rich and
grassed in many places. At the extremity of the plains was a sand hill,
close to which we again came on the creek, but without water, that which
Flood had found being a little more to the eastward. Its channel at this
place was deep, shaded, and moist, but very narrow. I was quite surprised
when we came to the creek where Flood had been to find so much water;
there was a serpentine sheet, of more than a quarter of a mile in length,
which at first sight appeared to be as permanent as that at the Depot.
The banks were high and composed of light rich alluvial soil, on which
there were many new shrubs growing; the whole vege