New South Wa'es. 65 
until the waters of the river rose to a level with it, and, divided 
into numerous branches, lost itself among the marshes. Mr. 
Oxley quitted the river on the 17th May, taking a S.W. course 
towards Cape Northumberland. He continued this course until 
the 9th June, when he was induced to change his course to 
north. On this course he continued til] the 23d June, when he 
again fell in with a stream; which he could with difficulty recog= 
nise as the Lachlan, it being little larger than one of the branches 
of it where it was quitted on the 17th May.. He kept along the 
banks of this stream till the Sth July, when the whole country 
became a marsh altogether uninhabitable. This unlooked-for 
and truly singular termination of a river, filled the party with 
the most painful sensations. ‘They were full 500 miles west of 
Sydney, and nearly in its latitude; and it had taken them ten 
weeks of unremitted exertion to proceed so far. Returning 
down the Lachlan, he recommenced the survey of it from the 
point on which it was made the 23d June. The connexion with 
all the points of the survey previously ascertained, was completed 
between the 19th July and the 3d August. It was estimated that 
the river from the place where first made by Mr. Evans, had run 
@ course, taking all its windings, of upwards of 1200 miles, a 
length of course altogether unprecedented, considering that the 
original is its only supply of water during that distance. 
** Crossing at this point,” says Mr. Oxley in his Report, © it 
was my intention to take a N.E, course to intersect the country, 
and if possible to ascertain what had become of the Macquarrie 
River, which it was clear. had never joined the Lachlan. This 
course led us through a country to the full as bad as any we had 
yet seen, and equally devoid of water, the want of which again 
much distressed us, On the 7th August the scene began to 
change, and the country to assume a very different aspect. We 
were now qnitting the neighbourhood of the Lachlan, and had 
passed to the N.E. of the high range of hills which on this parallel 
bounds. the low country to the north of that river. To the 
N.W. and N. the country was high and open, with good forest . 
land; and on the 10th we had the satisfaction to fall in with 
the first stream, running northerly. This renewed our hopes of 
soon falling in with the Macquarrie, and we continued upon the 
sime course, occasionally incliping to the eastward, until the. 
19th, passing through a fine [yea country well watered, 
‘ctossing in that space of time"yine streams, having a northerly. 
eburse through rich valleys, the country in every direction being 
moderately high and open, and generally as fine as can be ima- 
ined. - 
*< No doubt remained upon our minds that those streams fell 
Vol. 62, No. 243. July 1818. E into 
