Friday 27. Octr.!
At 1/2 past 6 a.m. Breakfasted and at 1/2 past sent off the whole of our Baggage for the Great Lake, following it ourselves immediately after. For the first 6 miles we travelled through Plains and open Forest -- then got into a broken Hilly Country for about Six Miles more. ---At the distance of about 4 miles from it, and from the Top of a Hill on the Left of the Road, we had a partial view of the Great Lake, which even at that distance looked very fine. --
X XThe last 4 miles to the Lake was through fine open Forest Land or Rich Plains, X X
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X X X X This was a very beautiful Tract of fine open Forest land, but chiefly clear of Timber & rich Land --- I therefore called it "Campbell Plains" in Honor of Mrs. Macquarie---
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and at 1. p.m. we reached the North East Shore of it; but where we could only see about one Half of it. At this Point however we were all most highly gratified and delighted with this noble expanse of Water, and the Surrounding Scenery. ---The Baggage proceeding on by a more direct course, we rode along the Summits of the Ridges which gird the Lake in order to obtain a fuller and more complete view of it -- and from every succeeding Hill our admiration of the magnificence and size of this noble Sheet of Water encreased [sic]. ---We proceeded on from where we first made it for 4 miles farther along the Eastern Shore of it, and then encamped at 3. p.m. on a very pretty Plain, near a fresh Water Creek, distant about nine miles from the North west Extremity of the Lake, and 20 miles from our last Ground. This Situation was recommended by Mr. Throsby by a note he had left with one of his men for me; having gone on himself early this morning to the Southern extremity of the Lake to try to get hold of some of the Natives of this part of the Country to serve as Guides to conduct us to the New River Murumbidgee.
We were all a little tired after our Journey to this beautiful Lake, the day being very warm & Sultry.
At 6. p.m. Dined -- Drank Tea at 1/2 past 7 -- and went to Bed at Nine.
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