19th April.
Being now on the line of route which Dr. Leichhardt had stated his
intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the
river were examined in all probable positions in which his camps might
have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the
country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous
explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees,
or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace. During
the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of
water were seen, and these not of a permanent character, while the rich
vegetation on the open downs, which had excited the admiration of Sir T.
Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had
wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep
fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought.
20th April.
In latitude 24 degrees 37 minutes, longitude 146 degrees 13 minutes, a
small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east,
and just below the first permanent pool of water was found. There was a
slight improvement in the grass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back
country, and even approached the river at intervals.