country we were now
traversing, or the dreariness of the view it presented. The plains were
still open to the horizon, but here and there a stunted gum-tree, or a
gloomy cypress, seemed placed by nature as mourners over the
surrounding desolation. Neither beast nor bird inhabited these lonely
and inhospitable regions, over which the silence of the grave seemed to
reign. We had not, for days past, seen a blade of grass, so that the
animals could not have been in very good condition. We pushed on,
however, sixteen miles, in consequence of the coolness of the weather.
We observed little change in the river in that distance, excepting that
it had taken up a muddy bottom, and lost all the sand that used to fill
it. The soil and productions on the plains continued unchanged in every
respect. From this time to the 22nd, the country presented the same
aspect. Occasional groups of cypress showed themselves on narrow sandy
ridges, or partial brushes extended from the river, consisting chiefly
of the acacia pendula, the stenochylus, and the nut I have already
noticed. The soil on which they grew was, if possible, worse than that
of the barren plain which we were traversing; and their colour and
drooping state rendered the desolate landscape still more dreary.

On the 21st, we found the same singular substance (gypsum) embedded in
the bank of the river that had been collected, during the former
expedition, on the banks of the Darling; and hope, which is always
uppermost in the human breast, induced me to think that we were fast
approaching that stream. My observations placed me in 34 degrees 17
minutes 15 seconds S. and 145 degrees of E. longitude.

BLACK BOY DESERTS.

On the 22nd, my black boy deserted me. I was not surprised at his doing
so, neither did I regret his loss, for he had been of little use under
any circumstances. He was far too cunning for our purpose. I know not
that the term ingratitude can be applied to one in his situation, and
in whose bosom nature had implanted a love of freedom. We learnt from
four blacks, with whom he had spoken, and who came to us in the
afternoon, that he had gone up the river,--as I conjectured, to the
last large tribe we had left, with whom he appeared to become very
intimate.

A creek coming from the N.N.W. here fell into the Morumbidgee; a proof
that the general decline of country was really to the south, although a
person looking over it would have supposed the contrary.

COUNTR