water on its surface to support its
inhabitants.

I beg you will inform His Excellency the Governor, that I have on all
occasions received the most ready and valuable assistance from Mr.
Hume. His intimate acquaintance with the manners and customs of the
natives, enabled him to enter into intercourse with them, and chiefly
contributed to the peaceable manner in which we have journeyed, while
his previous experience put it in his power to be of real use to me. I
cannot but say he has done an essential service to future travellers,
and to the colony at large, by his conduct on all occasions since he
has been with me; nor should I be doing him justice, if I did not avail
myself of the first opportunity of laying my sentiments before the
Governor, through you. I am happy to add that every individual of the
party deserves my warmest approbation, and that they have, one and all,
borne their distresses, trifling certainly, but still unusual, with
cheerfulness, and that they have at all times been attentive to their
duty, and obedient to their orders. The whole are in good health, and
are eager again to start.

I have the honor to be,
Sir
Your most obedient and most humble servant,
CHARLES STURT,
Capt. 39th Regt.

THE HONORABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.

* * * * *

MOUNT HARRIS, 5TH MARCH, 1829.

SIR,--It having appeared to me, that after discovering such a river as
the one I have described in my letter of yesterday, His Excellency the
Governor would approve of my 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 states, 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 second creek the land
was excellent, but that on crossing it, he got onto red soil, on which
he travelled some miles further, 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 stat