own in my garden
at Sydney, and I planted the seeds in a spot of rich earth likely to be
saturated with water as often as it fell from the heavens.

DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING EITHER OF THE RIVERS OR ANY WATER.

Southward I could see no trace of the Lachlan, and I hastened towards the
highest trees where I thought it turned in that direction. I thus met the
track of the carts at rightangles and galloped after them as they were
driving through scrubs and over heaths away to the westward. When I
overtook them I found that Mr. Stapylton had crossed over to them and
told Burnett to say to me that he had not seen the Lachlan.

SEARCH FOR THE MURRUMBIDGEE.

A row of lofty yarra trees appeared to the southward and, as I expected
to find the Murrumbidgee among them, I directed my course thither,
travelling to the westward of south as well as any appearance of water
would allow. We passed through a scrub which swarmed with kangaroos,
bronze-wing pigeons, and cockatoos; also by a rather singular hollow
resembling the bed of a dry lake, in which we found several grasses
apparently new and very beautiful,* together with a low but
wide-spreading bush which bore a fruit resembling a cherry in size and
taste, but with a more elongated stone.

(*Footnote. A Poa near P. australis, R. Br. and Bromus australis of R.
Br.)

After descending into what I had thought was the bed of a river we found
unequal ground and saw, at a distance, patches of reeds, also lofty yarra
trees growing all about. On reaching the reeds we found they filled only
very slight hollows in the surface and, after passing through them, we
crossed another firm plain with atriplex and salsolae. No river was to be
seen, but another line of trees bounded this plain, exactly like those on
the banks of streams, and on reaching it I felt confident of finding
water; but on the contrary there was only an open forest of goodly trees
without the least indication of it.

A NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.

The sun had now set and I directed the people to encamp while I rode
forward in search of this river. Passing through a thick scrub I observed
another line of river trees, but I penetrated their shades with no better
success than before.

HEAVY FALL OF RAIN.

A dark and stormy night of wind and rain closed over us and,
notwithstanding the want of water which we were again destined to
experience, we got wet enough before we regained the camp. Mr. Stapylton
had arrived there before m