to the eastward beyond the proposed pass just mentioned, and some
of these I had no doubt lay beyond the Murray. The hill and range I had
ascended consisted of granite, and the country between it and our camp of
grassy open forest land.

October 12.

We passed over a country of similar description and well watered
throughout the greater portion of this day's journey. In some parts the
surface consisted of stiff clay retaining the surface water in holes, and
at ten miles we crossed an undulating ridge of quartz rock; two miles
beyond which we encamped near a stream running northward.

REACH A SWAMPY RIVER.

October 13.

At 3 1/4 miles we came to a river of very irregular width and which, as I
found on further examination, spread into broad lagoons and swamps
bordered with reeds. Where we first approached it the bank was high and
firm, the water forming a broad reach evidently very deep. But both above
and below that point the stream, actually flowing, seemed fordable and we
tried it in various places, but the bottom was everywhere soft and
swampy.

A MAN DROWNED.

The man whom I usually employed on these occasions was James Taylor who
had charge of the horses and who, on this unfortunate morning, was fated
to lose his life in that swampy river. Taylor, or Tally-ho, as the other
men called him, had been brought up in a hunting stable in England, and
was always desirous of going further than I was willing to allow him,
relying too much, as it now appeared, on his skill in swimming his horse,
which I had often before prevented him from doing. I had on this occasion
recalled him from different parts of the river, and determined to use the
boat and swim the cattle and horses to the other side, when Tally-ho
proposed to swim over on a horse in order to ascertain where the opposite
bank was most favourable for the cattle to get out. I agreed to his
crossing thus wherever he thought he could; and he rode towards a place
which I conceived was by no means the best, and accordingly said so to
him. I did not hear his reply, for he was just then riding into the
water, and I could no longer see him from where I stood on the edge of a
swampy hole. But scarcely a minute had elapsed when Burnett, going on
foot to the spot, called out for all the men who could dive, at the same
time exclaiming "the man's gone!" The horse came out with the bridle on
his neck just as I reached the water's edge, but of poor Tally-ho I saw
only the