thither from our present situation. I therefore determined to return
back to the place where the two branches of the principal river
separated, and follow the south-west branch as far as it should be
navigable; our fears were however stronger than our hopes, lest it
would end in a similar manner to the one we had already traced, until it
became no longer navigable for boats.

In pursuance of this intention we descended the hill, which was named
Farewell Hill, from its being the termination of our journey in a
north-west direction at least for the present, and proceeded up the
south bank of the stream. We were able to reach only a short distance
from the spot where we stopped last night, having been obliged to unload
the horses no less than four times in the course of the day, added to
which, the travelling loaded through those dreadful marshes had
completely exhausted them: my own horse, in searching for a better
track, was nearly lost, and it consumed four hours to advance scarcely
half a mile.

My disappointment at the interruption of our labours in this quarter was
extreme, and what was worse, no flattering prospect appeared of our
succeeding better in the examination of the south-west branch. I was
however determined to see the present end of the river in all its
branches, before I should finally quit it, in furtherance of the other
objects of the expedition.

May 13.--Returned to the point whence the river separates into two
branches; intending first to descend the south-west branch for some
distance before the boats and baggage should move down, being unwilling
the horses should undergo an useless fatigue in traversing such marshy
ground, unless the branch should prove of sufficient magnitude to take