CH. VIII.] GOOBANG CRF.EK. 333 



northward, and we travelled on good, open, forest-land, until 

 our guides brought us directly to the very pond of water, 

 beside which we formerly encamped. We had travelled but 

 nine miles, which was two miles less than I reckoned the 

 distance to be, a pleasant discovery in our present case, Avhen 

 even the proposed journey for the day, although short, had 

 appeared too much for the very weak condition of our 

 animals. I had indeed thought of going up the first creek 

 in order to join our route at Coogoorduroy ; but we had 

 now been so fortunate as to gain, by a journey of nine miles, 

 the point which, had we gone round by Coogoorduroy, 

 must have been the end of our second day's journey. We 

 had here the satisfaction of recognizing the track of my 

 courier's horse, tracing our foot-marks homewards at a good 

 fast pace. This pond was nearly dry, the little water re- 

 maining being thick and green. It was more, however, 

 than I expected to find, and it was quite sufficient for our 

 wants. By resting here, it was in my power to reach, by 

 another day's travelling, Goobang creek, where the ponds 

 were deep and clear, and the grass good. This pond of 

 Cookopie appeared to be near the head of a small run of 

 water arising in hills behind " Pagormungor," a trap hill 

 distant only five or six miles along our route homeward. 



Sept. 11. — This morning Farenheit's thermometer stood 

 at 23°, and the pond was frozen three-quarters of an inch 

 thick. There was, however, so little water left, that only 

 three of the bullocks could be supplied before starting. The 

 natives who had promised to go on with us, nevertheless 

 remained behind ; but we proceeded by our old route to 

 Goobang creek, and encamped on its left bank nearly a mile 

 above, where we had crossed it formerly. Here the grass 

 was superior to any we had seen lower down ; numerous 

 fresh tracks of cattle were visible on the ground, and the 

 water lay deep and clear in ponds, surrounded by reeds. 

 There were no reeds about the water-holes of the Bogan ; 

 and we had, in fact, this day left that river, and reached 

 the sources of the Lachlan, to which stream the Goobang 



