, and under
circumstances of hardship and privation, the conduct of the men was very
good. I took an armed party to the scene of pillage, and buried the bodies
of the two men, who appeared to have been treacherously murdered while
asleep by the blacks during the absence of Mr. Finch: no natives were to
be found when I visited the spot, although it appeared from columns of
smoke on hills which overlooked if, that they were watching our movements.

The party has now arrived within a day's journey of Brown's station,
and I have instructed Assistant-Surveyor White (from whom I have received
great assistance during the whole journey) to conduct it homewards, being
desirous to proceed without delay to Sydney, and to receive the
instructions of His Excellency the Governor.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
T. L. MITCHELL,
SURVEYOR-GENERAL.

THE HON. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
"&c. &c. &c."

Chapter VI.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Obstacles that attend travelling into the interior of Australia--
Difficulty of carrying supplies--Importance of steady intelligent
subordinates--Danger from the natives--Number of men requisite,--and of
cattle and carriages--Provisions--Other arrangements--Treatment of the
natives--Dimensions of the boat used in the second expedition.

Having now had considerable experience in the fitting out and management
of expeditions in New South Wales, I cannot refrain from making some few
observations on the subject. And without presuming to lay dawn any fixed
rules, I shall only refer to those by which I have best succeeded, in
hopes that some of my remarks may prove of use to future travellers who
may venture to penetrate into the trackless deserts over so small a
portion of which I wandered.

DIFFICULTIES OF EXPLORING AUSTRALIA.

The great difficulty of examining the interior of Australia, is that of
carrying supplies; for increasing the number of individuals composing an
expedition is of no avail, since an additional number of men must
necessarily increase the consumption of food. In order to meet this
difficulty it has been proposed to establish depots upon which an
expedition could fall back to recruit its supplies, and in ordinary cases
this plan might answer; but I am decidedly of opinion that no party could
long remain stationary in the distant interior without some fatal
collision with the natives, which would be attended with the most
deplorable consequence