PERPLEXING SITUATION. 
55 
else. A death, however, under our circumstances, would 
have been so truly deplorable an event, that the least illness 
was sufficient to create alarm. 
I can hardly say that I was disappointed on my arrival 
at Mount Harris, to find its neighbourhood silent and de- 
serted. I remained, however, under it for the greater part 
of the next day, and, prior to leaving it, placed a sheet of 
paper with written instructions against a tree, though 
almost without a hope that it would remain untouched. 
A little after sun-set we reached the first small marsh, 
at which we slept ; and on the following morning I crossed 
the plains of the Macquarie, and joined the party at about 
fifteen miles from the creek at which I had left it. I 
found it in a condition that was as unlooked for by Mr. 
Hume as it was unexpected by me, and really in a most 
perplexing situation. 
On the day I left him, Mr. Hume only advanced about 
two miles, in consequence of some derangement in the 
loads. Having crossed the creek, he, the next morning, 
proceeded down its right bank, until it entered the marshes 
and was lost. He then continued to move on the out- 
skirts of the latter, and having performed a journey of 
about eight miles, was anxious to have stopped, but there 
was no water at hand. The men, however, were so fa- 
tigued, in consequence of previous illness, that he felt it 
necessary to halt after travelling about eleven miles. 
No water could be procured even here, notwithstanding 
that Mr. Hume, who was quite unfitfor great exertion, under- 
