deed
the position of our camp was most romantic, being a little eminence in
the midst of grassy hollows, and recesses of the deepest shade, covered
by trees of wild character and luxuriant growth.

RETURN TO FORT BOURKE.

August 10.

The whole party was ready to start early this morning and we proceeded in
good time, in hopes of reaching our old home at Fort Bourke. Our dogs
caught two of the largest kind of kangaroo as we crossed the plains. The
cattle, although now weak, seemed also eager to get back to their old
pasture on which they had fed so long formerly. We accomplished by four
P.M. the journey of fourteen miles. From Fort Bourke we had been absent
two months and two days, having travelled during that time over 600
miles, even in DIRECT distance.

DESCRIPTION OF THAT POSITION.

On our return from the lower country this place looked better than ever
in our eyes. The whole of the territory seen by us down the river did not
present such another spot, either for security, extent of good grazing
land, or convenient access to water. The fort was uninjured except that
the blacks had been at infinite pains to cut out most of the large spike
nails fastening the logs of which the block-house was constructed. We all
felt comparatively at home here; and indeed we were really about halfway
to our true home, for we had retraced about 300 miles and were not more
than the same distance from Buree, which is only 170 miles from Sydney.
The cattle had done so well that I resolved to give them two days' rest;
and more could not be afforded them as the weather, though beautiful,
might change, and we had some very soft ground still to go over. It was
remarkable that the water of the river, which for the last three days'
journey had been brackish, was here again, as formerly, as pure and sweet
as any spring water. Fort Bourke consists of an elevated plateau
overlooking a reach of the river a mile and a half in length, the hill
being situated near a sharp turn at the lower end of the reach. At this
turn a small dry watercourse, which surrounds Fort Bourke on all sides
save that of the river, joins the Darling, and contains abundance of
grass.

THE PLAINS.

The plateau consists of about 160 acres of rich loam, and was thinly
wooded before it was entirely cleared by us in making our place of
defence. There are upon it various burying-places of the natives, who
always choose the highest parts of that low country for the purpose o