CATTLE DISTRESSED FOR WANT OF WATER.

Our cattle, having had no water during the night, began to be distressed, and I hurried forward, marking out the line, and we thus crossed, at five miles beyond the rocks of Beny, the dry bed of what appeared to be sometimes the channel of a considerable stream of water; its sides and bottom were however then grassy; its depth and breadth very uniform, while the general course appeared to be North-North-East but very tortuous.

At four o’clock I had continued to mark the line.  Being then six miles beyond this channel, and anxious about finding water for the cattle, I galloped forward three miles in search of the Bogan but without reaching it.

The sun of this very hot day was near setting by the time I met our party, to whom I had hastened back.  They had travelled two miles beyond the dry creek which it was my intention now to trace downwards as fast as possible, followed by all our animals, in hopes that it would lead to water.

MR. CUNNINGHAM MISSING.

While the men were unyoking the teams I was informed that Mr. Cunningham was missing.  The occasional absence of this gentleman was not uncommon but, as he had left the party early in the day in order to join me, it was evident, from his not having done so, that he had gone astray.

DESPERATE SEARCH FOR WATER.

At that moment I felt less anxiety on the subject, little doubting that he would gain our camp before I returned from the forlorn search I was about to make for water.  Leaving Mr. Larmer with the rest of the party to encamp there, I proceeded eastward towards the dry creek whose course I soon intercepted, and I hurried the bullock-drivers along its bed downwards until, after crossing many a hopeful but dry hole, they begged that the cattle might be allowed to rest.

AT LENGTH FIND WATER ON REACHING BY NIGHT THE RIVER BOGAN.

Leaving them therefore I continued my search with the horses, still following the channel, until I had the happiness of seeing the stars of heaven reflected from a spacious pool.  We had in fact reached the junction of the creek with the Bogan.  Having filled our kettles and leather bottles we hastened back to where we had left the bullocks.  Leaving them to go forward and refresh, I set off at a venture on the bearing of south-west by south, in search of our camp.  After an hour’s riding the moon rose, and at length our cooey was answered.  I had previously observed, by the moon’s light, the track left by my horse that morning in the long dry grass, and verified it by some of my marks on the trees.  Would that Mr. Cunningham had been as fortunate!  At that time I did not doubt that I should find him at the camp; especially as we heard no guns, it being a practice in the bush to fire shots when persons are missing, that they may hear the report and so find the party.  I then made sure of a pleasant night’s rest, as I was relieved from my anxiety respecting the cattle.