I was so won by the discovery of this rich district that I wandered on unconscious of the fatigue of the party, roaming from rising ground to rising ground, and hoping from each eminence to gain a view of high land to the eastward, but on all sides I could see nothing but the same low fertile country.

I however felt conscious that within a few years of the moment at which I stood there a British population, rich in civilization and the means of transforming an unoccupied country to one teeming with inhabitants and produce, would have followed my steps and be eagerly and anxiously examining my charts; and this reflection imparted a high degree of interest and importance to our present position and operations.
RETURN TO THE RIVER.
The darkness of night was now closing round us and Kaiber the native, with his long thin legs, put himself at the head of the party and, taking a star for his guide, led us with rapid and lengthy paces across the plains to the encampment, where we found the party anxiously waiting to hear what success we had met with.

Poor Mr.Smith was very unwell tonight with a feverish attack.

Mr.Walker had prescribed for him and ordered him to be kept quiet.

I got a meridian altitude of Procyon which put us in 24 degrees 56 minutes 57 seconds south latitude.
March 6.
Mr.Smith was if anything worse this morning, and I learned from some of the men that he had been wandering about all night, and had bathed several times in the river.