CH. II,] MR. CUNNINGHAM MISSING. 177 



The natives who accompanied us, examined the traces of 

 those who had fled, with considerable interest, and then fell 

 behind our party and disappeared. 



From the highest of these rocks, I obtained some good 

 angles and bearings on the hills, I had seen on the day 

 previous, and also on some of the loftiest summits of Harvey's 

 range. 



Our cattle, having had no water during the night, began 

 to be distressed, and I hurried forward, marking out the line, 

 and we thus crossed, at five miles beyond the rocks of Beny, 

 the dry bed of what appeared to be sometimes the channel of 

 a considerable stream of water ; its sides and bottom were, 

 however, then grassy ; its depth and breadth very uniform, 

 while the general course appeared to be N.N.E. but very 

 tortuous. 



At four o'clock I had continued to mark the line. Being 

 then six miles beyond this channel, and anxious about finding- 

 water for the cattle, I galloped forward three miles, in search 

 of the Bogan, but without reaching it. 



The sun of this very hot day, was near setting by the time 

 I met our party, to whom I had hastened back. They had 

 travelled two miles beyond the dry creek, which it was my 

 intention now to trace downwards as fast as possible, fol- 

 lowed by all our animals, in hopes that it would lead to 

 water. While the men were unyoking the teams, I was 

 informed, that Mr. Cunningham was missing. The occa- 

 sional absence of this gentleman was not uncommon, but, as 

 he had left the party early in the day, in order to join me, 

 it was evident, from his not having done so, that he had 

 gone astray. At that moment, 1 felt less anxiety on the sub- 

 ject, little doubting that he would gain our camp, before I 

 returned from the forlorn search, I was about to make for 

 water. Leaving Mr. Larmer with the rest of the party to 

 encamp there, 1 proceeded eastward towards the dry creek, 

 whose course I soon intercepted, and I hurried the bullock- 

 drivers along its bed downwards, until, after crossing many 



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