CH. IV.] HEAVY RAIN UNABLE TO PROCEE 



ponds, not being confined by any hills of note, 

 I could not be certain as to the identity, or 

 whether such channels did not separate into dif- 

 ferent branches, on that level country. The 

 ponds they contained, even during the dry 

 season, and the permanent character of their 

 banks, each lined with a single row of trees, 

 throughout a meandering course over naked 

 plains, bespoke a providential arrangement for 

 the support of life in these melancholy wastes, 

 which, indeed, redeemed them from the cha- 

 racter of deserts. We encamped on this chain of 

 ponds, having first crossed the channel, that we 

 might have no impediment before us, in the 

 morning ; experience having taught us that 

 the cattle could overcome a difficulty of this 

 kind better when warmed to their work, than 

 at first starting from their feeding place. 



Some very heavy thunder showers fell, but the 

 sky became clear in the evening, so that we 

 ascertained the latitude to be 29° 39' 49'' S. 

 We also obtained the bearing- of Mount Rid- 

 dell, and other points of the Nundawar range, 

 making our latitude 146° 37' 30'' E. 



On these ponds we first saw the beautiful 

 crested pigeon, mentioned by Mr. Oxley, as 

 frequenting the neighbourhood of the marshes 

 of the Macquarie, 



Jan. 13. — We packed up our tents to proceed 

 on our journey, as usual, the weather being 

 beautiful ; but after three hours of excessive 

 toil, the bullocks had not advanced two miles, 

 because the stiff clay so clogged the wheels, 

 that it could not be easily removed. Seeing the 

 cattle so distressed, I was compelled to encamp, 

 and await the effect of the sunshine and the 



D. 



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