a conflict with them--Junction of another river--Give
the name of the "Murray" to the principal stream.

The camp was a scene of bustle and confusion long before day-light. The
men whom I had selected to accompany me were in high spirits, and so
eager to commence their labours that they had been unable to sleep, but
busied themselves from the earliest dawn in packing up their various
articles of clothing, &c. We were prevented from taking our departure
so early as I had intended, by rain that fell about six. At a little
after seven, however, the weather cleared up, the morning mists blew
over our heads, and the sun struck upon us with his usual fervour. As
soon as the minor things were stowed away, we bade adieu to Harris and
his party; and shortly after, embarked on the bosom of that stream
along the banks of which we had journeyed for so many miles.

Notwithstanding that we only used two oars, our progress down the river
was rapid. Hopkinson had arranged the loads so well, that all the party
could sit at their ease, and Fraser was posted in the bow of the boat,
with gun in hand, to fire at any new bird or beast that we might
surprise in our silent progress. The little boat, which I shall
henceforward call the skiff, was fastened by a painter to our stern.

SUPPOSED JUNCTION OF LACHLAN.

As the reader will have collected from what has already fallen under
his notice, the country near the depot was extensively covered with
reeds, beyond which vast plains of polygonum stretched away. From the
bed of the river we could not observe the change that took place in it
as we passed along, so that we found it necessary to land, from time to
time, for the purpose of noting down its general appearance. At about
fifteen miles from the depot, we came upon a large creek-junction from
the N.E., which I did not doubt to be the one M'Leay and I had crossed
on the 25th of December. It was much larger than the creek of the
Macquarie, and was capable of holding a very great body of water,
although evidently too small to contain all that occasionally rushed
from its source. I laid it down as the supposed junction of the
Lachlan, since I could not, against the corroborating facts in my
possession, doubt its originating in the marshes of that river. Should
this, eventually, prove to be the case, the similar termination of the
two streams traced by Mr. Oxley will be a singular feature in the
geography of the interior.

EMUS--NATIVE TOM