CATTLE.
This impediment the party however overcame by cutting down some brush and small trees, and opening a lane through which we at length contrived to bring the cattle forward to the bank. It was near sunset before they could be driven into the water; yet we finally succeeded in forcing the whole to swim to the other side that evening with the exception of one bullock which, having got bogged, was smothered in the mud on the first rush of the others into the water. The landing of some of these animals on the opposite bank was attended with difficulty for they did not all make for the proper place, some turning towards the bank they had left and endeavouring to re-ascend it much lower down where the banks were either too soft or inaccessible: others swimming straight down the stream turned to parts of the opposite bank which they could not climb. With these last I was prepared to contend, having taken my station in the boat to watch such contingencies; and by dragging the foremost of those who had swum back across the river by the horns, and those which had arrived at the wrong place out with ropes; we succeeded at length in forcing all that had floated too far down to land on the right bank. But the greater number had got out higher up the river upon some fallen portions of the red cliff instead of taking the path we had cut under it; and the footing there was so slight that, as they crowded on each other, groups fell, from time to time, back into the river. The last part of the operation was therefore to row towards these, when Woods, who was in the boat, soon induced one of the bullocks well-known to him to take the path, upon which all the rest followed until they reached the grassy flat where others more fortunate than themselves were already feeding. At the close of this laborious day I encamped on the right bank, leaving still on the other side however a small party in charge of the horses and carts. The day was extremely hot and the full and flowing river gave an unusual appearance of life and motion to the desert whose wearisome stillness was so unvarying elsewhere. Serpents were numerous and some were seen of a species apparently peculiar to this river. Here they invariably took to it, and one beautiful reptile in particular, being of a golden colour with red streaks, sprang from under my horse's feet and rode upon the strong current of the boiling stream, keeping abreast of us and holding his head erect, as if in defiance and without once attempting to make off, until he died in his glory by a shot from Roach.
HORSES.
October 19.
The first half of this day was required for the passage of the horses one by one; and for taking the carts across. We left the boat carriage on the left bank and sunk the boat in a deep lagoon on the right bank, to remain there until the party should return to the spot with a stock of provisions for Mr. Stapylton. Here the last mountain barometer, which had been carried in excellent order throughout the journey, lost mercury so copiously that I could not hope to use it any more, time being then too valuable to admit of delay; and thus my list of observations terminated on the Murray. I supposed that the intense heat of the sun to which the instrument had been exposed when tied to a tree for some hours after the tents had been struck had contracted the leathern bag so much as to loosen it from the edges of the cylinder, and thus formed openings through which the mercury had escaped. The breadth of the Murray was 80 yards at the place where we crossed it and the mean depth was 3 1/2 fathoms. At length I saw with great satisfaction my party on the right bank of this great river; having now no other stream to cross until we reached the Murrumbidgee where we might consider ourselves at home.
PARTY RETURNING TO MEET MR. STAPYLTON.
Just at this time Archibald McKane, a carpenter, came forward and proposed to return with any two of the men and the native Tommy to meet the party coming after us upon the Goulburn; and to construct there such rafts of casks and other gear as might enable Mr. Stapylton to cross that river and the Ovens and so come forward to the Murray; an arrangement which would render it unnecessary for me to send back any cattle or the boat as intended. I was much pleased with the proposal of McKane and, Tommy Came-last being also willing to return, I appointed John Douglas, a sailor and most handy man, and Charles King, a man who feared nothing, to accompany McKane. Full rations were issued to the four and, having given them a letter for Mr. Stapylton, the little party returned towards the houseless wilds, when we left the Murray to continue our journey homewards. Although we did not set off before one o'clock we this day travelled fourteen miles, but did not encamp till long after sunset. The scarcity of water compelled us to travel thus far, for none had been seen except one small muddy pool until I reached the valley where we encamped, and even there we found little more than enough for ourselves and cattle.
October 20.
After travelling five miles over tolerable land we crossed a range of very fine-grained granite consisting of felspar, quartz, and small particles of mica and having a very crystalline aspect. This range was a branch from a higher mass on our right. At seven miles we crossed the shoulder of a hill whence I intersected others to the right. This also consisted of fine-grained granite, similar to that of the other hill, but it was not so red and had fewer spangles of mica.
A CREEK TERMINATING IN A SWAMP.