Perplexity--Trait of honesty in the natives--Excursion on horseback across the Darling--Forced to return--Desolating effects of the drought--Retreat towards the colony--Connection between the Macquarie and the Darling-- Return up the banks of the Macquarie--Starving condition of the natives. CHAPTER V. General remarks--Result of the expedition--Previous anticipations-- Mr. Oxley's remarks--Character of the Rivers flowing westerly-- Mr. Cunningham's remarks--Fall of the Macquarie--Mr. Oxley's erroneous conclusions respecting the character of the interior, naturally inferred from the state in which he found the country--The marsh of the Macquarie merely a marsh of the ordinary character--Captain King's observations-- Course of the Darling--Character of the low interior plain--The convict Barber's report of rivers traversing the interior--Surveyor-General Mitchell's Report of his recent expedition. CHAPTER VI. Concluding Remarks--Obstacles that attend travelling into the interior of Australia--Difficulty of carrying supplies--Importance of steady intelligent subordinates--Danger from the natives--Number of men requisite,--and of cattle and carriages--Provisions--Other arrangements-- Treatment of the natives--Dimensions of the boat used in the second expedition. APPENDIX. No. I. Letter of Instructions No. II. List of Stores supplied for the Expedition No. III. Sheep-farming Returns No. IV. List of Geological Specimens No. V. Official Report to the Colonial Government, (Jan. 1829.) No. VI. Ditto (April 1829.) ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE FIRST VOLUME (Not included in this etext) Native Burial Place near Budda Vice Admiral Arthur Phillip Cataract of the Macquarie A Selenite Chrystallized Sulphate of Lime PRELIMINARY CHAPTER Purpose of this Chapter--Name of Australia--Impressions of its early Visitors--Character of the Australian rivers--Author's first view of Port Jackson--Extent of the Colony of New South Wales--its rapid advances in prosperity--Erroneous impressions--Commercial importance of Sydney--Growth of fine wool--Mr. M'Arthur's meritorious exertions--Whale-fishery--Other exports--Geographical features--Causes of the large proportion of bad soil--Connection between the geology and vegetation--Geological features-- Character of the soil connected with the geological formation--County of Cumberland--Country westward of the Blue Mountains--Disadvantages of the remote settlers--Character of the Eastern coast--Rich tracts in the interior--Periodical droughts--The seasons apparently affected by the interior marshes--Temperature--Fruits--Emigrants: Causes of their success or failure--Moral disadvantages--System of emigration recommended--Hints to emigrants--Progress of inland discovery--Expeditions across the Blue Mountains--Discoveries of Mr. Evans, Mr. Oxley, and others--Conjectures respecting the interior. PURPOSE OF THIS PRELIMINARY CHAPTER.