ere the other party still remained encamped.

CATTLE QUITE EXHAUSTED.

September 17.

This day the rest of the party came up but the cattle seemed quite
exhausted. They had at length become so weak from the continued heavy
dragging through mud that it was obvious they could not proceed much
further until after they had enjoyed at least some weeks of repose. But
our provisions did not admit of this delay as the time had arrived when I
ought to have been at Sydney although still so far from it.

DETERMINE TO LEAVE THEM IN A DEPOT TO REFRESH WHILE I PROCEED FORWARD.

After mature deliberation we hit upon a plan which might as I thought
enable us to escape. The arrangement proposed was that I should go
forward with some of the freshest of the cattle drawing the light carts
and boat, with a month's provisions, and taking with me as many men as
would enable me to leave with those who should remain provisions for two
months. That the cattle should rest at the present camp two weeks and
then proceed while I, by travelling so far before them with so light a
party, could send back a supply of provisions and also the boat, to meet
this second party following in my track on the banks of the Murray. Thus
I could reach Sydney some weeks sooner, and also carry on my survey much
more conveniently; the cattle, which had been sinking almost daily, would
be thus refreshed sufficiently to be able to travel and the chance of the
whole party suffering from famine would be much diminished. Such was the
outline of the plan which our position and necessities suggested.

September 18.

This day was passed in making preparations for setting out tomorrow with
the light party as proposed.

SPECIMENS OF NATURAL HISTORY.

The catalogue of the objects of Natural History collected during the
journey included several birds and animals not hitherto mentioned in this
Journal. Amongst the most remarkable of these was the pig-footed animal
found on June 16. It measured about ten inches in length, had no tail,
and the forefeet resembled those of a pig. There was also the rat which
climbs trees like the opossum; the flat-tailed rat from the scrubs of the
Darling, where it builds an enormous nest of branches and boughs, so
interlaced as to be proof against any attacks of the native dog. The
unique specimen from the reedy country on the Murray of a very singular
animal much resembling the jerboa or desert rat of Persia; also a
rat-eared bat from the L