52 
MR. hume’s excursion. 
speaking, bad, nor did it appear to be subject to over- 
flow. 
On the 3d, Mr. Hume proceeded down the creek on 
which he had slept, on a northern course, under an impression 
that it would have joined the Castlereagh, but it took a 
N.W. direction after he had ridden about four miles, and 
then turned again to the eastward of north. In conse- 
quence of this, he left it, and proceeded to the westward, 
being of opinion that the river just mentioned must have 
taken a more northerly course than Mr. Oxley supposed it 
to have done. 
A short time after Mr. Hume turned towards the Mac- 
quarie, the country assumed a more pleasing appearance. 
He soon cleared the brushes, and at two miles came upon a 
chain of ponds, again running northerly in times of flood. 
Shortly after crossing these, he found himself on an exten- 
sive plain, apparently subject to overflow. The timber on 
it was chiefly of the blue-gum kind, and the ground was 
covered with shells. He then thought he was approach- 
ing the Macquarie, and proceeded due west across the flat 
for about two miles. At the extremity of it there was a 
hollow, which he searched in vain for water. Ascending 
about thirty feet, he entered a thick brush of box and 
acacia pendula, which continued for fourteen miles, when it 
terminated abruptly, and extensive plains of good soil 
commenced, stretching from N. to S. as far as the eye 
could reach, on which there were many kangaroos. Con- 
tinuing to journey over them, he reached a creek at five p. m. 
