July 16.—­Cloudy, but mild and pleasant.  We retraced this day much of the same ground which we travelled on the 28th ult.  The horses were frequently up to their shoulders in deep holes, to the danger of breaking their own limbs, or those of their leaders or riders.  There is a uniformity in the barren desolateness of this country, which wearies one more than I am able to express.  One tree, one soil, one water, and one description of bird, fish, or animal, prevails alike for ten miles, and for one hundred.  A variety of wretchedness is at all times preferable to one unvarying cause of pain or distress.

We halted on the margin of one of the swamps, after travelling about eleven miles, which it took eight hours to accomplish.

July 17.—­Part of the horses again strayed; these delays in such a country try our patience to the very utmost, and their very rambling is the sole means of their being kept alive.  It was past eleven before we could set out, and the rain that had fallen during the night rendered our track so extremely soft that it was with difficulty the horses could proceed.  At three we halted for the evening on a large lagoon near the river, having gone about nine miles and a quarter.

July 18.—­At nine proceeded onwards towards Macquarie’s Range; and at four, we halted at the place we rested at on the 24th ult.  For the first time since we left Cypress Hill we heard natives on the other side of the river, but they kept out of our sight.

July 19.—­At nine we proceeded up the river, and at three arrived at the spot where we first reached the river on the 23d ult.  The fresh in the river was still considerable, being from three to five feet above its apparent usual level.

July 20.—­Rested the horses to-day, having had a hard week’s work, and the weather being unfavourable.  Confirmed my intention of returning to Bathurst instead of the depot on the Lachlan, for the following reasons.  The route up the Lachlan would be difficult and very tedious, not to say impracticable, without the assistance of boats in crossing the two principal creeks; and if it should have proved wet and rainy, it would be nearly impossible to travel over the low-lands with loaded horses.  Again, our return by the route outward would not afford us any additional knowledge of the country, and presuming this river to be the Lachlan, the course and the country in the neighbourhood of the Macquarie would still remain unknown.  To return to Bathurst by a northerly course would enable us to trace the Macquarie to a very considerable distance; it would give us a knowledge of the country at least two hundred miles below Bathurst; and although the difficulties we may meet with in the attempt are of course unknown to us, yet I consider it a far preferable route to returning by the Lachlan, the difficulties of which are known, and I think we may reach one station as soon as the other.