APPENDIX. NO. V. 
207 
a place on the river, at which I had rested during a shower, 
and slept there. In the morning I again went to the spot 
to examine the north-eastern branch, when I was equally 
disappointed. I then examined the space between the two 
creeks, opposite to the main channel of the river, and where 
the bank receives the force of the current. Here I saw 
water in the reeds, but it was scarcely ankle deep, and was 
running off to the north-west quicker than the waters of 
the river, which had almost an imperceptible motion, I was 
therefore at once convinced that it was not permanent, but 
had lodged there in the night, during which much rain had 
fallen. I next pushed my way through the reeds into the 
marsh, and at length clearly perceived that the waters 
which were perfectly sweet, after running several courses, 
flowed olF to the north, towards which point there was an 
apparent declination or dip. Finding it impossible to pro- 
ceed further, I regained the boat, and thence returned to the 
camp, under a conviction that I had reached the very spot, 
at which Mr. Oxley lost the channel of the river in 1818. 
The next day I moved to the place where Mr. Hume 
had struck upon the channel of the river, but was again 
doubtful in what direction to proceed. 
The marsh, at the commencement of which we now 
found ourselves, being the third from Mount Foster, but 
the second great one, seemed to extend beyond us to the 
north for many miles, but varying in breadth. In the 
evening I went in the boat up the channel, and found it at 
first, deep and sullen, as that of the river above. It soon 
however, narrowed, and the weeds formed over its surface, 
so that I abandoned the boat and walked along a path up 
it. 1 had not gone far when the channel divided ; two 
