olony as our circumstances would
allow: these were much diminished: an accident to one of the
boats, in the outset of the expedition, had deprived us of
one-third of our dry provisions, of which we had originally but
eighteen weeks; and we had been in consequence for some time on a
reduced ration of two quarts of flour per man, per week. To
return to the depot by the route we had come, would have been as
useless as impossible; and seriously considering the spirit of
your Excellency's instructions, I determined upon the most mature
deliberation, to take such a route on our return, as would, I
hope, best comport with your Excellency's views, had our present
situation ever been contemplated.

Returning down the Lachlan, I re-commenced the survey of it
from the point in which it was made, the 23d of June; intending
to continue up its banks until its connection with the marshes,
where we quitted it on the 17th May, was satisfactorily
established, as also to ascertain if any streams might have
escaped our research. The connection with all the points of the
survey previously ascertained, was completed between the 19th of
July and the 3d of August. In the space passed over within that
period, the river had divided into various branches, and formed
three fine lakes, which, with one near the determination of our
journey westward, were the only considerable pieces of water we
had yet seen; and I now estimated that the river, from the place
where first made by Mr. Evans, had run a course, taking all its
windings, of upwards of twelve hundred miles; a length of course
altogether unprecedented, when the _single_ nature of the
river is considered, and that its _original_ is its
_only_ supply of water during that distance.

Crossing at this point it was my intention to take a
north-east course, to intersect the country, and if possible
ascertain what had become of the Macquarie river, which it was
clear had never joined the Lachlan. This course led us through a
country to the full as bad as any we had yet seen, and equally
devoid of water, the want of which again much distressed us. On
the 7th of August the scene began to change, and the country to
assume a very different aspect: we were now quitting the
neighbourhood of the Lachlan, and had passed to the north-east of
the high range of hills, which on this parallel bounds the low
country to the north of that river. To the north-west and north,
the country was high and open, with