The hills we have passed are excellent land, well-wooded.

To the south, distant objects are obscured by high hills, but in the south-west are very distant mountains, under them appears a mist as tho' rising from a river.

It was the like look round to the west, but beyond the loom of high hills are very faintly distinguished." This was the first view Evans obtained of the Lachlan valley.

The ponds he had met with gradually grew into a connected stream: other ponds united with them from the north-east, and he writes: "they have at the end of the day almost the appearance of a river." On the 24th he came to a creek which joined "the bed of a river rising in a North 30 East direction, now dry except in hollow places.

It is fully 70 feet wide, having a pebbly bottom; on each side grow large swamp-oaks." On Thursday, the 1st of June, this river holding a definite course to the westward, and he being clear of the points of the hills, which hitherto had hindered him greatly, he determined to return, as he was running short of provisions.
"To-morrow I am necessitated to return, and shall ascend a very high hill I left on my right hand this morning.