“I feel the most particular pleasure in informing your excellency of the obligations I am under to Mr. Evans, the deputy surveyor, for his able advice and cordial co-operation throughout the expedition; and, as far as his previous researches had extended, the accuracy and fidelity of his narrative was fully established.

“It would perhaps appear presumptuous in me to hazard an opinion upon the merits of persons engaged in a pursuit in which I have little knowledge; the extensive and valuable collection of plants found by Mr. A. Cunningham, the King’s botanist, and Mr. C. Frazer, the colonial botanist, will best evince to your excellency the unwearied industry and zeal bestowed in the discovery and preservation of them; in every other respect they also merit the highest praise.

“From the nature of the greater part of the country passed over, our mineralogical collection is but small.  Mr. S. Parr did as much as could be done in that branch, and throughout endeavoured to render himself as useful as possible.

“Of the men on whom the chief care of the horses and baggage devolved, it is impossible to speak in too high terms.  Their conduct in periods of considerable privation, was such as must redound to their credit; and their orderly, regular, and obedient behaviour could not be exceeded.  It may principally be attributed to their care and attention, that we lost only three horses; and that, with the exception of the loss of the dry provisions already mentioned, no other accident happened during the course of the expedition.  I most respectfully beg leave to recommend them to your excellency’s favourable notice and consideration.

“I trust your excellency will have the goodness to correct any omissions or inaccuracies that may appear in this letter:  the messenger setting out immediately will not allow me to revise or correct it.

“I have the honour to remain, with the greatest respect,
Your excellency’s most obedient and humble servant,
(Signed), J. Oxley, Surveyor General.”

To His Excellency, Governor Macquarie, etc., etc., etc.

* * * * *

APPENDIX.

PART II.

No.  IV.

Diary of Mr. Evans, deputy surveyor general, from the 8th, to the 18th of July 1818.

Wednesday, July 8.—­Left Mount Harris about nine o’clock.  For six miles the country tolerably good; afterwards, to the end of my day’s journey, it was alternately acacia pendula scrubs, and cypress brushes; the soil light, and full of holes; abundance of water, but, latterly, no grass.  In the evening halted on the bank of a gully, having gone about twelve miles.  Mount Harris bearing 8. 35.  W.

July 9.—­Set forward at eight o’clock, and continued travelling until five in the afternoon, chiefly through very thick brushes, consisting of various shrubs, with casuarina and dwarf box trees; the country nearly a marsh and almost impassable, so much so, that I had great difficulty in keeping my course, being the greater part of the day up to our knees in water.