ed
many of their recent tracks and encampments. The cabbage and fan
palm-trees have been very plentiful during to-day's journey down to this
valley. This creek I named "Charles Creek," after the eldest son of John
Chambers, Esq.; it is one by which some large bodies of springs
discharge their surplus water into Van Diemen's Gulf; its banks are of
soft mud, and boggy. Wind, south. Latitude, 12 deg. 13' 30".

_Friday, 25th July._ Charles Creek, Van Diemen's Gulf. I have sent
Thring to the south-west to see if he can get round the marsh. If it is
firm ground I shall endeavour to make the mouth of the river by that
way. After a long search he has returned, and informs me that it is
impracticable, being too boggy for the horses. As the great object of
this expedition is now attained, and the mouth of the river already well
known, I do not think it advisable to waste the strength of my horses in
forcing them through, neither do I see what object I should gain by
doing so; they have still a very long and fatiguing journey in
recrossing the continent to Adelaide, and my health is so bad that I am
unable to bear a long day's ride. I shall, therefore, cross this creek
and see if I can get along by the sea-beach, or close to it. Started and
had great difficulty in getting the horses over, though we cut a large
quantity of grass, putting it on the banks and on logs of wood which
were put into it. We had a number bogged, and I was nearly losing one of
my best horses, and was obliged to have him pulled out with ropes; after
the loss of some time we succeeded in getting them all over safely. At
two miles came upon an open part of the beach, went on to it, and again
found the mud quite impassable for horses. Stopped the party, as this
travelling is too much for the horses, and, taking Thring with me, rode
two miles to see if the ground was any firmer in places; found it very
soft where the salt water had covered it, in others not so bad. Judging
from the number of the shells banked up in different places, the sea
must occasionally come over this. I saw at once that this would not do
for the weak state in which my horses were, and I therefore returned to
where I left the party, resolving to re-cross the continent to the City
of Adelaide. I now had an open place cleared, and selecting one of the
tallest trees, stripped it of its lower branches, and on its highest
branch fixed my flag, the Union Jack, with my name sewn in the centre of
it