CAPTAIN STURT ON THE MURRAY 73 



eventually succeeded in finding a safe camping-place for the night, 

 and next morning enjoyed the unwonted luxury of a sail of forty- 

 five miles across the lake, while the men, for the first time relieved 

 from the labour of the oar, gave themselves up to the charm of 

 the fine scenery, and the cool, refreshing breeze. But as they 

 approached the ocean beach, and heard with delight the thunderous 

 roar of the breakers, the channel dwindled and split up into in- 

 numerable shallows, crossed by mud-flats and treacherous quick- 

 sands. A whole day was spent in endeavouring to haul the boat 

 over these increasing obstacles, the men passing much of their time 

 up to their middle in water, until at length the leader recognised 

 that in their present half-famished and jaded condition, the task 

 was a hopeless one. But he determined not to return without 

 seeing the actual outlet, and in company with Macleay and one 

 man started on foot to walk along the beach to find it. A heavy 

 tramp of seven miles along the sandy shore brought him to the 

 estuary, just as day was breaking. It was something under a 

 quarter of a mile wide, and crossed by a double line of tremendous 

 breakers that forbade all hope of the boat living through them. 



Had it been possible to have reached the open sea, Sturt would 

 have preferred to risk the coasting journey in the hope of making 

 Western Port or Launceston, or even to take the chance of falling 

 in with some of the sealing vessels infesting the Straits. But it 

 could not be attempted, and the only other course which for a time 

 he contemplated was to cross the ranges on foot to the Gulf of St. 

 Vincent, where there had been much talk of forming a settlement, 

 in the expectation of finding some ships there. This plan, too, was 

 abandoned for the danger of its ending in starvation, and there was 

 nothing for it but to face the long pull of fully a thousand miles up 

 to the depot on the Murrumbidgee, against the stream and through 

 all the dangers of hostile natives, which now in their enfeebled 

 condition seemed a gloomy and hazardous prospect. Careful stock 

 was taken of the stores, of which only flour and tea remained ; of 

 the former there was enough to give each man a pound per day, if 

 it only took them as long to return as it had to come down with 

 the current. Of this they had not much hope, especially as they 

 had been without any meat for some time, and could not expect to 



