two men, expecting also that Mr. Evans would certainly return downwards when he found that we did not join him.  It was twelve o’clock before we found him, and we then proceeded up the river, whilst one man and myself went to a clear hill in the range of Mount Byng, and from which we expected a good prospect.  We passed over a large plain, washed by the river; the soil, a stiff red clayey loam, long parched by drought; the sides of the hill light red sandy loam.  Small blue gum-trees, box, cypress, and a multitude of acacia shrubs of various species, were the usual productions of the drier and more elevated grounds.

Our expectations of an extensive prospect from the top of the hill were not disappointed:  we had a distinct view round the compass.  The river wound close under the foot of the hill, and trending to the south-east through low marshy grounds covered with atriplex bushes and the acacia pendula, evidently and distinctly showed that it originated in the separated branches of the Lachlan, which it is probable united fifteen or twenty miles below Mount Cunningham, forming the present stream.  The north-east side of the river was equally low and marshy.  All the points which had been set at Mount Cunningham were distinctly recognised, and bearings being now taken to them, served to correct and prove the survey.  The bearings taken from this hill, named Piper’s Hill, were as follows by the theodolite: 

Mount Cunningham E. 9 deg. 20 min.  S.
Mount Meyrick S. 67 10 E.
Mount Maude S. 62 0 E.
Table Hill S. 4 30 E.
Line of Mount Byng,
  called Watson Taylor’s range E. 7 0 W.
Mount Granard N. 79 0 W.
Mount Barrer N. 68 0 W.
     about the same distance as Mount Granard. 
Extreme of a high range from N. 59 1/2 W., to N. 24 1/2 W.;
     nearest extreme distance about thirty miles, westward 45. 
Extremes of another range from N. 10.  W., to N. 2.  W.,
     about twelve miles long; another range, N. 3.  E. to N. 50 1/2 E
Hurd’s Peak, N. 72.  E.; a mount north of it (Mount Hawkins),
     N. 71. 15.  E.; a distant one, N. 86 1/2 E (Mount Riley). 
Low ranges in N. 44.  E., N. 35.  E. and N. 26 1/2 E.,
     all the intermediate spaces being low level land.

On descending, we waited on the stream till the arrival of Mr. Evans, about half-past three o’clock, when we halted.

It was determined that as we had now ascertained the course of the Lachlan, from the depot to its termination, any farther trace of it, running as it did from the south-east, would take us materially out of our purposed course to Bathurst, without answering any good purpose, at the same time that we should entangle ourselves in the mushy grounds which had been seen both from Mount Cunningham, Farewell Hill, and our present station; and that therefore we should immediately proceed to construct a raft on which we might transport our provisions and baggage across the river, afterwards taking such a course as we deemed most likely to bring us to the Macquarie river, and so keep along its banks to Bathurst.  This work, and the task of getting the baggage over, will take two days to accomplish.