s thrown much light upon the nature of the interior of the vast
Island; that the decline of waters, as far as the parallel of 139 degrees
E., is to the south, and that the Darling is to the N.E. as the Murray
is to the S.E. angle of the coast, the main channel by which the waters of
the central ranges are thrown or discharged into one great reservoir.

Our journey homewards was only remarkable for its labour: in conclusion,
therefore, it remains for me to add that we reached the depot on the
23rd of March.

Our sugar failed us on the 18th of February, and our salt provisions,
in consequence of the accident which happened to the skiff, on the 8th of
March; so that from the above period we were living on a reduced ration of
flour; and as we took few fish, and were generally unsuccessful with our
guns, the men had seldom more than their bread to eat.

I regretted to observe that they were daily falling off, and that although
unremitting in their exertions they were well nigh exhausted, ere we
reached the Morumbidgee.

We were from sunrise to five o'clock on the water, and from the day
that we left the depot to that of our return we never rested upon our
oars. We were thirty-nine days gaining the depot from the coast, against
a strong current in both rivers, being seven more than it took us to go
down. From the depot to this station we had seventeen days hard pulling,
making a total of eighty-eight, during which time we could not have
travelled over less than 2000 miles. I was under the necessity of stopping
short on the 10th instant, and of detaching two men for the drays, which
happily arrived on the 17th, on which day our stock of flour failed us.
Had I not adopted this plan, the men would have become too weak to have
pulled up to Pondebadgery, and we should no doubt have suffered some
privations.

This detail will, I am sure, speak more in favour of the men composing the
party than anything I can say. I would most respectfully recommend them
all to His Excellency's notice; and I beg to assure him that, during the
whole of this arduous journey, they were cheerful, zealous, and obedient.
They had many harassing duties to perform, and their patience and temper
were often put to severe trials by the natives, of whom we could not have
seen fewer than 4000 on the Murray alone.

I am to refer His Excellency the Governor to Mr. M'Leay for any more
immediate information he may require,--to whom I stand indebted on many
poi