NEW SOUTH WALES. 221 



irifiuite difficulty in descending them ; to which 

 they were strongly invited by the appearance 

 of a level open country on the other side ; and 

 Wilson proposed making a canoe to cross over 

 with; but the others were so faint and tired, 

 having had nothing to eat hut the rat and two 

 small birds each, that they were afraid to ven- 

 ture. Their shoes were now worn out, and their 

 feet cut and bruised by walking, so at length 

 they proposed to return. 



" This being agreed to, on the 1st of Febru- 

 ary, they came back S. E. by E. and having 

 walked nine miles, they fell in with many 

 meadows thinly stocked with trees. The hills 

 were slightly covered with timber, and they 

 were light. The ground was good except on the 

 tops of the hills where it was stoney. Here they 

 became much exhausted, and though they saw 

 many birds, they could not approach near 

 enough to shoot any. 



H On the £d, they came E. N. E. over a fine 

 country, formed of meadows, extending some 

 thousands of acres, with very i'cw trees. To- 

 wards the evening, having passed the first ridge 

 ©f mountains, they fell in with a number of 

 kangaroos, one of which they killed, and were 

 much refreshed by it. 



" On the 3d, the report of two guns in the 

 S. E. was heard by them, which they answered, 

 but were not returned. Though they had now 

 reached that part of the country Wilson well 

 knew, they must have perished, but for his 

 great exertions. Wilson assured them of their 



