artwheels were represented by the
carpenters to be almost unserviceable. These considerations, and the
hostile disposition of the natives in our rear, not only deterred me from
crossing the Karaula, but seemed to require my particular attention to
the journey homewards. We had at least accomplished the main object of
the expedition by ascertaining that there was no truth in The
Bushranger's report respecting the great river.

February 7.

The wheels of the carts requiring repair before we could commence our
retreat, the carpenters were employed on this work until three P.M. Our
boat (emblem of our hopes!) was sunk in the deepest part of the Karaula.
The natives were heard approaching during the morning; and crows and
hawks, hovering in the air, marked their place in the woods. At length, I
perceived them peeping at us from behind trees; but our feelings towards
the aborigines were very different then from what they had been before we
received the news brought by Mr. Finch, however innocent these people
might be of the murder of his men. I did not therefore invite their
approach, and they were too cautious to be intrusive. The wheels being
repaired at three P.M. we turned our faces homewards, and exactly at
sunset we reached the ponds where I had twice previously encamped.

FORCED MARCH TO THE GWYDIR.

February 8.

In our line of route back to the Gwydir we knew by experience that no
water was to be found. The distance to that river from our present camp
was twenty-three miles; but I considered it better to cross this dry
tract by a forced march in one day than to pass a night without water. By
this arrangement we could halt on the river during the day following to
recover and refresh the cattle after so long a journey. We were
accordingly in motion at half-past 5 A.M., and the early part of the
morning being rather cool we got forward very well. After midday the
weather was very hot. At four P.M. the bush of one of the wheels became
so loose that the cart fell down, and it was necessary to repair the
wheel before it could proceed. Mr. White undertook this with the aid of
some of the men, while I continued the journey with the rest; and it may
be imagined how cleverly the work was done from the fact that my zealous
assistant overtook us with the cart before we reached the end of the
day's journey.

We perceived smoke arising before us when we had arrived within six miles
of our old encampment on the Gwydir, and so