Mr. Stapylton and his party were well; and during the whole time that we had been absent the natives had never approached his camp. Such singular good fortune was more than I could reasonably have expected, and my satisfaction was complete when I again met Stapylton and saw the party once more united. The little native Ballandella's leg was fast uniting, the mother having been unremitting in her care of the child. Good grass had also been found so that the cattle had become quite fresh and indeed looked well. SURROUNDED BY INUNDATIONS. CROSS TO IT IN A BARK CANOE MADE BY TOMMY CAME-LAST. I was ferried over Stapylton's creek in a bark canoe by Tommy Came-last who also, by the same simple means, soon conveyed every article of equipment and the rest of the party across to the depot camp. We had now got through the most unpromising part of our task. We had penetrated the Australian Hesperides, although the golden fruit was still to be sought. We had accomplished so much however, with only half the party, that nothing seemed impossible with the whole; and to trace the Murray upwards and explore the unknown regions beyond it was a charming undertaking when we had at length bid adieu forever to the dreary banks of the Darling. SEARCH FOR THE JUNCTION OF THE MURRUMBIDGEE AND MURRAY. The first object of research was the actual junction of the Murrumbidgee with the Murray. I knew that the creek on which I had fixed the depot camp came from the former and entered the latter; and that our depot thus stood on a tract surrounded by water, being between the creek and the main stream. We were already in fact on a branch-island, immediately adjacent to the junction we were in search of and, as I intended to across the Murray either at or below that point, I determined to make an excursion in search of it next morning. June 11.