disputed by others, more especially as there was abundant space for the
formation of another river, between the point where I first struck the
Darling and this junction.

It was at all events a matter of curious speculation to the world at
large, and was a point well worthy of further investigation. Such
evidently was the opinion of her Majesty's Government at the time, for in
accordance with it, in the year 1835, Sir Thomas Mitchell, the
Surveyor-General of the colony of New South Wales, was directed to lead
an expedition into the interior, to solve the question, by tracing the
further course of the Darling. This officer left Sydney in May, 1835, and
pushing to the N.W. gradually descended to the low country on which the
Macquarie river all but terminates its short course. In due time he
gained the Bogan river (the New Year's Creek of my first expedition, and
so called by my friend, Mr. Hamilton Hume, who accompanied me as my
assistant, because he crossed it on that day), and tracing it downwards
to the N. W., Sir Thomas Mitchell ultimately gained the banks of the
Darling, where I had before been upon it, in latitude 30 degrees. He then
traced it downwards to the W.S.W {S.S.W. in published text} to latitude
32 degrees 26 seconds. At this point he determined to abandon all further
pursuit of the river, and he accordingly returned to Sydney, in
consequence, as he informs us, of his having ascertained that just below
his camp a small stream joined the Darling from the westward. The
Surveyor-General had noticed distant hills also to the west; and it is
therefore to be presumed that he here gave up every hope of the Darling
changing its course for the interior, and of proving that I was wrong
and that he was right. The consequence, however, was, that he left the
matter as much in doubt as before, and gained but little additional
knowledge of the country to the westward of the river.