CONTINUE OUR VOYAGE. 
79 
to punish it. About ten, Fraser and Mulholland returned 
with two blacks. Fraser told me he saw several natives on 
our side of the river, as he was returning, to whom those 
who were with him spoke, and I felt convinced from their 
mannerand hesitation, thatthey wereawareof the trick that 
had been played upon us. However, as Fraser had promised 
them a tomahawk to induce them to accompany him, I ful- 
filled the promise. 
Leaving this unlucky spot, we made good about sixteen 
miles during the afternoon. The river maintained its breadth 
and depth nor were the reeds continuous upon its banks. We 
passed several plains that were considerably elevated above 
the alluvial deposits, and the general appearance of the coun- 
try induced me strongly to hope that we should shortly get 
out of the region of reeds, or the great flooded concavity on 
which we had fixed our depot; but the sameness of vege- 
tation, and the seemingly diminutive size of the timber in 
the distance, argued against any change for the better in 
the soil of the interior. Having taken the precaution of 
shortening the painter of the skiff, we found less difficulty 
in steering her clear of obstacles, and made rapid progress 
down the Morutnbidgee during the first cool and refreshing 
hours of the morning. The channel of the river became 
somewhat less contracted, but still retained sufficient depth 
for larger boats than ours, and preserved a general westerly 
course. Although no decline of country was visible to the 
eye, the current in places ran very strong. It is impossible 
for me to convey to the reader’s mind an idea of the nature 
