42 
EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-WEST. 
would meet the Castlereagh, and that their united waters 
might form a stream of some importance. Under this im- 
pression I determined on again sending Mr. Hume to the 
N. E. in order to ascertain the nature of the country in that 
direction. 
The weather was excessively hot, and as my men were 
but slowly recovering, I was anxious while those who were 
in health continued active, to give the others a few days of 
rest. I proposed, therefore, to cross the river, and to make 
an excursion into the interior, during the probable time of 
Mr. Hume’s absence ; since if, as I imagined, the Mac- 
quarie had taken a permanent northerly course, I should 
not have an opportunity of examining the distant western 
country. Mr. Hume’s experience rendered it unnecessary 
for me to give him other than general directions. 
On the last day of the year we left the camp, each ac- 
companied by two men. I had the evening previously or- 
dered the horses I intended taking with me across the chan- 
nel, and at an early hour of the morning I followed them. 
Getting on a plain, immediately after I had disengaged 
myself from the reeds on the opposite side of the river, 
which was full of holes and exceedingly treacherous for the 
animals, I pushed on for a part of the wood Mr. Hume had 
endeavoured to gain from the boat, with the intention of 
keeping near the marsh. On entering it, I found myself 
in a thick brush of eucalypti, casuarinse and minor trees ; the 
soil under them being mixed with sand. I kept a N. N, W. 
course through it, and at the distance of three miles from 
