Chapter III.

THE PARTY ADVANCES INTO THE UNKNOWN REGION BEYOND THE DARLING,--GUIDED BY
TWO ABORIGINAL NATIVES.--PLAINS AND LOW HILLS.--ARRIVE AT PONDS OR
SPRINGS CALLED "CARÀWY."--DELAYED BY THE WEAKNESS OF THE CATTLE.--REACH
THE NARRAN SWAMP SOONER THAN EXPECTED.--BRIDGE MADE TO CROSS SOFT PART OF
SWAMP,--WHILE AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF TIRED BULLOCKS.--SWAMP VERY
EXTENSIVE TO THE EASTWARD.--NEW PLANTS.--RIDE ACROSS THE SWAMP AND
RECONNOITRE THE RIVER NARRAN THIRTY MILES UPWARDS.--THE SWAMP THE LAST
RECEPTACLE OF THE RIVER.--BRIDGE LAID DOWN BY MOONLIGHT.--THE WHOLE PARTY
CROSSES IT, AND AFTERWARDS FORD THE NARRAN,--CROSSING TO THE LEFT BANK.--
ADVANCE BY VERY SHORT STAGES FROM WEAKNESS OF THE CATTLE.--RICH GRASS ON
THE NARRAN.--ELEVATED STONY GROUND TO THE WESTWARD.--AGAIN RECONNOITRE
THE RIVER IN ADVANCE WHILE THE CATTLE REST.--PARLEY WITH A NATIVE.--TWO
NATIVES OF THE BALONNE GUIDE ME TO THAT RIVER.--APPROACH THE ASSEMBLED
POPULATION OF ITS BANKS.--INTERVIEW WITH THE TRIBES.--CORDIAL
RECEPTION.--CROSS THE BALONNE,--AND REACH THE CULG.--CIVILITY OF THE
NATIVES.--CROSS THE CULG.--TRAVEL UP ALONG THE RIGHT BANK OF THE
BALONNE.--GRASSY PLAINS ALONG ITS BANKS.--THE OLD DELAY, CATTLE
MISSING.--A NATIVE SCAMP.--SPLENDID REACHES OF THE RIVER.--DÉPÔT CAMP AT
A NATURAL BRIDGE.--RIDE TO THE NORTHWEST.--RECEIVE DISPATCHES FROM
SYDNEY.--RETURN TO THE CAMP AT ST. GEORGE'S BRIDGE.

5TH MARCH.--Early this morning the stockman brought over two natives,
brothers, who were to guide us to water ten miles on towards the Narran,
which was said to be thirty-five miles off. In the first two miles we
passed over some soft ground. Further on, hills were visible to the left,