CH. II.] FUTURE ROUTE CHOSEN. 165 



tended into the interior ; and the base of the chain appeared 

 to increase in width towards the west, as far as the rivers, on 

 each side of it, had been explored. These were the Lachlan 

 and Murrumbidgee on the south, and the Macquarie, Bogan, 

 and Darling on the north, I considered this high ground 

 would afford the safest line of route, in the winter season 

 to the low interior country ; while the heights would also 

 enable me to extend my survey westward, with more accu- 

 racy, as far as they could be seen on this journey. From 

 the summit, I carefully intersected every prominent point on 

 the western horizon ; and I chose for the direction of my future 

 route, that part, which, while it appeared to be in continua- 

 tion of the most elevated ground, yet had openings between 

 summits, through which, I judged, the party might pass. 

 To the southward, I already beheld Mr. Oxley's various 

 hills, rising like so many islands, from the otherwise level 

 country on the Lachlan ; and, far in the north-west, the 

 level blue horizon, exactly resembled an open sea ; while to 

 the westward, the line of vision was broken by the summits 

 of Croker's and Harvey's ranges. After a careful reconnoi- 

 sance of these and other still more distant features, the country 

 seemed to me most favourable for a passage, on the bearing 

 of 60° west of north. In that direction, therefore, I resolved to 

 proceed ; trusting that He, who led Israel like a flock, would 

 guide and direct our little party, through the Australian wil- 

 derness before us. 



Aprill . — Early this morning, I ascended the hill to the 

 northward of the old station, and took some angles, for the 

 purpose of determining the position of the house at Buree, 

 from which our measurement was to commence. The party 

 moved forward along a road still for the first 5| miles, when 

 this convenience w'ould serve our purpose no longer, and we 

 struck into the pathless woods. After travelling over some 

 connected hills, and marking the trees as we proceeded, we, 

 at nine miles, reached the head of a chain of ponds, falling- 

 southward, which I named Dochendoras Ponds; and en- 



