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CHAPTER IV. 
Perplexity — Trait of honesty in the natives — Excursion on horseback 
across the Darling — Forced to return — Desolating effects of the 
drought — Retreat towards the colony — Connection between the 
Macquarie and the Darling — Return up the banks of the Macquarie 
— Starving condition of the natives. 
On our return to the party, we found them surrounded 
by the natives, who were looking with an eye of wonder 
on the cattle and horses. We pointed out to them the 
direction in which we were going, and invited them to 
visit us ; and nothing appeared to astonish them so much 
as the management of the team by a single man. W'e got 
back to our position early, and again fixed ourselves 
upon it. 
It now only remained for us to consider what we should do 
under circumstances of certainly more than ordinary per- 
plexity. We had nothing to hope for from travelling in a 
southerly direction, while to the E. and N.E., the state 
of the country was worse than that by which we had pene- 
trated to the Darling. It was evident, that the large creeks 
joining the Castlereagh in that direction were dry, since 
