e we had traced his steps, and up to this time the clay bore
these last records of our late fellow-traveller!

September 4.

The old man with a hideous mumping face again came up, and took his place
at one of our fires, having sent the boy on some message, probably to
bring others of his tribe or tell them of our movements. I asked him
about Mr. Cunningham but could only obtain evasive answers, and I thought
it best to order him peremptorily to quit our camp. This I did in loud
terms, firing a pistol at the same time over his head. He walked off
however with a firm step, and with an air which I thought rather
dignified under the circumstances. Early this morning I sent overseer
Burnett on before us with three of the party to look for water, leaving
the cattle and the men who came in yesterday to rest until 10 A.M. Today
and yesterday we once more beheld a sky variegated with good swelling
clouds, and enjoyed a fresh breeze from the south-west. The sight even of
such a sky was now a novelty to us, and seemed as if we had at last got
home. We had in fact already ascended five hundred feet above the level
of the plains of the interior, and were approaching the mountains. At
eleven we proceeded and struck into our old track where it touched on the
Bogan, and we crossed its channel half a mile beyond where we had been
encamped so long when looking for Mr. Cunningham. On this day's journey
we again intersected his footsteps; and I could not avoid following them
once more to the pond on the Bogan where he must have first drunk water
after a thirst and hunger of four or five days! There was water still
there, though it had shrunk two yards from its former margin; but not the
impression of a native's foot appeared near it, nor any longer the traces
of Mr. Cunningham. I was now about to follow the Bogan further up in
order to make sure of water, and thus to leave our track, with the
intention of falling into it again at Cogoorduroy or Cookopie Ponds. We
had now passed the scene of Mr. Cunningham's distresses, and I judged
that a man on horseback might travel safely along our old route with
despatches. We had been about five months shut out from all communication
with the colony, and I was eager to avail myself of the first safe
opportunity of sending to the government a report of our progress.

SEND OFF A COURIER TO SYDNEY.

We were still about 120 miles from Buree, a distance which could be
travelled over on horseback in thre