92 NOTES OF TRAVEL — 1859-60 



who was bringing a mob of bullocks up the river to the 

 unoccupied country which Perry had recently bought. On the 

 lower Darling there was no grass near the frontage, but plenty 

 of the small saltbush and also plenty Darling pea. The latter 

 Simpson's horses ate greedily and they became mad. Poo'^ 

 Avretches, they deliberately walked into the river and were 

 drowned. Having collected about a dozen suitable animals, we 

 started down the river on the left bank where there were larger 

 patches of box forest and mulga than on the western side. Not 

 very far down we passed Hamilton's station. Here was a hut of 

 the usual kind in which two or three men lived. When about a 

 year back Captain Cadell brought the first boat up the river from 

 the Murray, these men were greatly surprised one evening by the 

 unusual sounds which reached them. They had no thought of a 

 steamboat and the only way they could account for the strange 

 noises was by attributing them to blacks ; so they barred their 

 door, loaded their guns, and sat up all night expecting an attack 

 which did not come off. Soon after sunrise, however, to their 

 great delight the boat steamed round the point which had 

 previously concealed it. Our business did not admit of delay 

 and we pushed on, camping always at night, until we met 

 Simpson close to a station opposite Mount Murchison. We 

 were comfortably quartered that night by the hospitable owner, 

 whose name I am unable to recall. 



My business in this part of the world was now drawing to a 

 close. George Davis entered Dowling's service, and I presented 

 him with the fowling-piece which had helped us to many a 

 good meal on our outward journey. My horses I sold to Dow-, 

 ling, making the condition, however, that I should have one to 

 ride as far as Molong, where I was to leave him with the Lands 

 Conimissioner. 



Near Prinibougyra some posts of Mitchell's Fort Bourke, 

 erected in 1836, were still standing. The town of Bourke had 

 not an existence at that time. Many persons were hurrying out to 

 secure runs in the country that I was only too willing to hurry 

 away from. One station only on the lower Warrego was 

 occupied ; the owner was a Scotchman, and I think his name 

 was Mackenzie. Of llowering plants there were few when I was 

 there ; the rain had been insufficient, and the only specially rare 

 bird I remember to have seen was a black and white wren. 

 Time does not permit of further reference to the objects of 

 interest with which I became acquainted, nor can I say anything 



