AND THE ADJOINING COUNTRY. 
41 
long after it found that channel in which nature intended 
ultimately to confine it. We killed another fine red kanga- 
roo in the early part of the day, in galloping' after which 
I got a heavy fall. 
The two blacks who had been with us so long, and who 
had not only exerted themselves to assist us, but had con- 
tributed in no small degree to our amusement, though they 
had from M'Leay’s liberality, tasted all the dainties with 
which we had provided ourselves, from sugar to concentrated 
cayenne, intimated that they could no longer accompany 
the party. They had probably got to the extremity of their 
beat, and dared not venture any further. They left us with 
evident regret, receiving, on their departure, several valuable 
presents, in the shape of tomahawks, See. The last thing 
they did was to point out the way to us, and to promise to 
join us on our return, although they evidently little antici- 
pated ever seeing us again. 
In pursuing our journey, we entered a forest, consisting 
of box-trees, casuarinae, and cypresses, on a light sandy soil, 
in which both horses and bullocks sunk so deep that their 
labour was greatly increased, more especially as the weather 
had become much warmer. At noon I altered my course 
from N. W. by W. to W. N. W., and reached the Morum- 
bidgee at 3 in the afternoon. The flats bordering it were ex- 
tensive and rich, and, being partially mixed with sand, were 
more fitted for agricultural purposes than the stiffer and 
purer soil amidst the mountains ; but the interior beyond 
them was far from being of corresponding quality. We 
