218 
appendix. NO. V. 
terday, His Excellency the Governor would approve of 
niy endeavouring to regain it. There being a probability 
that it ultimately joins the Southern Waters, I thought of 
turning my steps to the southward and westward ; and with 
a view to learn the nature of the country, I despatched Mr. 
Hume in that direction on Saturday last. He returned in 
three days, after having gone above forty miles from the 
river, and statesj that he crossed two creeks, the one about 
twenty-five miles, the other about thirty-two distance, 
evidently the heads of the creeks we passed westward of 
the marshes of the Macquarie. He adds, that, to the se- 
cond creek the land was excellent, but that on crossing it, 
he got on a red soil, on which he travelled some miles fur- 
ther, until he saw a range of high land, bearing from him 
S. W. by W., when, knowing from the nature of the country 
around him, and from the experience of our late journey, 
that he could not hope to find a regular supply of water in 
advance, and that in the present dry state of the low lands, 
a movement such as I had contemplated would be imprac- 
ticable, he returned home. I do myself the honour, there- 
fore, to report to you, for His Excellency’s information, 
that I shall proceed on Saturday next in a N. E. direction 
towards the Castlereagh, intending to trace that river down, 
and afterwards to penetrate as far to the northward and 
westward as possible ; it being my wish to get into the 
country north of the more distant river, where I have ex- 
pectations that there is an extensive and valuable track of 
country, but that in failure of the above, I shall examine 
the low country behind our N. W. boundaries, if I can find 
a sufticiency of water to enable me to do so. 
I am to inform you that in this neighbourhood the 
