d
hill with perpendicular sides, which Sturt had noticed for some time, now
attracted his attention, as being a lofty point of vantage from which to
get an extensive view to the west. They accordingly made for it, over
more promising country. They reached the hill which Sturt called Oxley's
Tableland, but from its summit he saw nothing but a stretch of monotonous
plain, with no sign of the long-sought river. That night they camped at a
small swamp, and the next morning turned back, Sturt agreeing with Oxley,
but without as much reason, that "the space I traversed is unlikely to
become the haunt of civilised man." Hume did not return until the day
after Sturt's arrival. He reported that the Castlereagh River must have
suddenly turned to the north below where Oxley crossed it, for he had
been unable to find it. He had gone westward, but had seen nothing except
far-stretching plains. After a few aimless and unprofitable ramblings,
they made their way again to Oxley's Tableland, and Sturt and Hume, with
two men, made a journey to the west, with only a negative result. On the
31st of January they commenced to follow down Sturt's New Year's Creek,
and the next day, to their unbounded surprise, came upon the bank of a
noble river. From its size and width they judged they had struck it at a
point as far from its source as from its termination; but when the men
rushed tumultuously down the bank to revel in the water and quench their
thirst, they cried out, with disgust and surprise, that the water was
salt.

Poor Sturt, whose heart was bounding with joy at the realisation of his
fondest hopes in this important discovery of a river which seemed to
answer all men's dreams and anticipations, felt the sudden revulsion of
despair. One saving thought he had, and that was that they were close to
its junction with the inland sea. Meantime, although human tracks were to
be seen everywhere, they saw none of the aborigines. Hume at length found
a pool of fresh water, which provided them with water for themselves and
their stock.

[Illustration. The Darling River, at Sturt's first view point. Photo by
the Reverend J. Milne Curran.]

The long-continued absence of rain having lowered the fresh water so that
the supply from the brine springs on the banks predominated, was the
explanation of the saltness of the water; but Sturt did not know this,
and for six days the party moved slowly down the river until the
discovery of saline springs in