130 
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
“ 14 th October , 1844. 
“ I left Lake Victoria, as I told you in a former letter, on the 
18th of September, and again cut across the country to the 
Murray. As we travelled along we saw numerous tracks of wild 
cattle leading from the marshes to the river, and we encamped at 
the junction of the river and a lagoon (one of the most beautiful 
spots you ever saw), just where these tracks were most numerous. 
In the night therefore we were surrounded by lowing herds, 
coming to the green pastures of which we had taken possession. 
In the morning I sent Messrs. Poole and Brown, with Flood my 
stockman, and Mark to drive in some bullocks, as I was anxious 
to secure one or two workers. The brush however was too thick, 
and in galloping through it after a bull, Flood’s carbine exploded, 
and blew off three of the fingers of his right hand. This accident 
obliged me to remain stationary for two days, notwithstanding 
my anxiety to get up to the lagoon at Williorara, to ascertain the 
truth or otherwise of the report I had heard of the massacre of a 
party of overlanders there. 
“On the 23rd I reached the junction of the Ana branch with the 
Murray, discovered by Eyre, and then turned northwards. Run- 
ning this Ana branch up, I crossed it where the water ceased, and 
went to the Darling, striking it about fifteen miles above its 
junction with the Murray. The unlooked-for course of the Dar- 
ling however kept me longer on its banks than I had anticipated; 
but you can form no idea of the luxuriant verdure of its flats. 
They far surpass those of the Murray, both in quantity and 
quality of soil ; and extended for many miles at a stretch along 
the river side. We have run up it at a very favourable season, 
and seen the commencement of its floods ; for, two days after we 
reached it, and found it with scarcely any water in its bed, we 
observed a fresh in it, indicated by a stronger current. The next 
morning to our surprise the waters were half-bank high. They 
had risen six feet during the night, and were carrying every- 
thing before them; now they are full sixteen feet above their 
level, and a most beautiful river it is. Over this said mysterious 
river, as Major Mitchell calls it, the trees drooped like willows, or 
