with our carts.

PASSAGE OF THE RIVER.

That part of the bank which I had selected for driving the cattle into
the river, that they might swim over, was soft and boggy, but in the
opposite shore where they were to go out we cut in the firm clay at the
base of the red cliff before mentioned a landing-place and path with
picks and spades, so that the cattle on reaching that side could pass
along the foot of the cliff to a lower part of the bank adjacent. After
all other obstacles had been surmounted and the best portion of the day
had been spent in conducting the party to within a short distance of this
place my horse unexpectedly sunk in what had appeared to be firm ground.

CATTLE.

This impediment the party however overcame by cutting down some brush and
small trees, and opening a lane through which we at length contrived to
bring the cattle forward to the bank. It was near sunset before they
could be driven into the water; yet we finally succeeded in forcing the
whole to swim to the other side that evening with the exception of one
bullock which, having got bogged, was smothered in the mud on the first
rush of the others into the water. The landing of some of these animals
on the opposite bank was attended with difficulty for they did not all
make for the proper place, some turning towards the bank they had left
and endeavouring to re-ascend it much lower down where the banks were
either too soft or inaccessible: others swimming straight down the stream
turned to parts of the opposite bank which they could not climb. With
these last I was prepared to contend, having taken my station in the boat
to watch such contingencies; and by dragging the foremost of those who
had swum back across the river by the horns, and those which had arrived
at the wrong place out with ropes; we succeeded at length in forcing all
that had floated too far down to land on the right bank. But the greater
number had got out higher up the river upon some fallen portions of the
red cliff instead of taking the path we had cut under it; and the footing
there was so slight that, as they crowded on each other, groups fell,
from time to time, back into the river. The last part of the operation
was therefore to row towards these, when Woods, who was in the boat, soon
induced one of the bullocks well-known to him to take the path, upon
which all the rest followed until they reached the grassy flat where
others more fortunate than themselves were alr