r of the noble
lord who bears that title.

Natives were found on the banks in several parts, many of whom were
labouring under the smallpox. They did not attempt to commit hostilities
against the boats; but on the contrary shewed every sign of welcome and
friendship to the strangers.

At this period, I was unluckily invested with the command of the outpost at
Rose Hill, which prevented me from being in the list of discoverers of
the Hawkesbury. Stimulated, however, by a desire of acquiring a further
knowledge of the country, on the 26th instant, accompanied by Mr. Arndell,
assistant surgeon of the settlement, Mr. Lowes, surgeon's mate of the
'Sirius', two marines, and a convict, I left the redoubt at day-break,
pointing our march to a hill, distant five miles, in a westerly or inland
direction, which commands a view of the great chain of mountains, called
Carmarthen hills, extending from north to south farther than the eye can
reach. Here we paused, surveying "the wild abyss; pondering our voyage."
Before us lay the trackless immeasurable desert, in awful silence. At
length, after consultation, we determined to steer west and by north, by
compass, the make of the land in that quarter indicating the existence of a
river. We continued to march all day through a country untrodden before by
an European foot. Save that a melancholy crow now and then flew croaking
over head, or a kangaroo was seen to bound at a distance, the picture of
solitude was complete and undisturbed. At four o'clock in the afternoon we
halted near a small pond of water, where we took up our residence for the
night, lighted a fire, and prepared to cook our supper: that was, to broil
over a couple of ramrods a few slices of salt pork, and a crow which we had
shot.

At daylight we renewed our peregrination; and in an hour after we found
ourselves on the banks of a river, nearly as broad as the Thames at
Putney, and apparently of great depth, the current running very slowly in a
northerly direction. Vast flocks of wild ducks were swimming in the stream;
but after being once fired at, they grew so shy that we could not get near
them a second time. Nothing is more certain than that the sound of a gun
had never before been heard within many miles of this spot.

We proceeded upwards, by a slow pace, through reeds, thickets, and a
thousand other obstacles, which impeded our progress, over coarse sandy
ground, which had been recently inundated, though full fo