178 REACH THE RTVER BOGAN. [CH. II. 



a hopeful hut dry hole, they begged, that the cattle might 

 be allowed to rest. Leavmg them, therefore, I continued 

 my search with the horses, still following the channel, until 

 I had the happiness of seeing the stars of heaven reflected 

 from a spacious pool. We had, in fact, reached the junction 

 of the creek with the Bogan. Having filled our kettles and 

 leathern bottles, we hastened back, to where we had left 

 the bullocks. Leaving them to go forward, and refresh, 

 I set off at a venture, on the bearing of south-west by south, 

 in search of our camp. After an hour's riding, the moon 

 rose, and at length our cooy was answered. I had previously 

 observed, by the moon's light, the track left by my horse 

 that morning in the long dry grass, and verified it by some 

 of my marks on the trees. Would that Mr. Cunningham 

 had been as fortunate ! At that time I did not doubt, that I 

 should find him at the camp ; especially as we heard no guns, 

 it being a practice in the bush to fire shots, when persons 

 are missing, that they may hear the report, and so find the 

 party. I then made sure of a pleasant night's rest, as I was 

 relieved from my anxiety respecting the cattle. 



I had the pain to learn, however, on reaching the camp 

 about eleven o'clock, that Mr. Cunningham was still absent ; 

 and, what was worse, in all probability suffering from want 

 of water. I had repeatedly cautioned this gentleman, about 

 the danger of losing sight of the party in such a country ; 

 yet his carelessness in this respect was quite surpi-ising. 

 The line of route, after being traversed by our carts, looked 

 like a road that had been used for years, and it was almost 

 impossible to doubt, then, that he would fall in with it next 

 morning. 



April 18. — We continued to fire shots and sound the 

 bugle till eleven o'clock. Our cattle were then ready to 

 drink again, and as Mr. Cunningham was pi'obably a-head 

 of us, to proceed on our route to the Bogan without further 

 delay was indispensable, in order that we might, in case of 

 need, make such extensive search for him, as was only 

 possible from a camp where we could continue stationary. 



