"Riding on camels is a much more pleasant
process than I anticipated, and for my work I find it much better
than riding on horseback. The saddles, as you are aware, are
double, so I sit on the back portion behind the hump, and pack my
instruments in front, I can thus ride on, keeping my journal and
making calculations; and need only stop the camel when I want to
take any bearings carefully; but the barometers can be read and
registered without halting. The animals are very quiet, and easily
managed, much more so than horses."

His next letter to me is dated from Swan Hill, September 8th:--

MY DEAR FATHER,

We arrived here on Saturday last, early in the afternoon. I had
not time to write by the last post, which closed on the same
evening. We are all in good health and spirits. The road we are
about to take is not that which I had anticipated, namely, down the
side of the Lower Darling, as we hear there is literally nothing
for the horses to eat; so that we are going right across the
country to the Darling, passing the Murray at this place. We leave
Swan Hill about the middle of next week, and shall then be out of
the colony of Victoria. We are expecting Professor Neumayer up
shortly,--a scrap of paper to-day by the postman says to-morrow. I
am rather disappointed at not having yet an assistant surveyor, but
I hope he will arrive shortly. Letters in future had better be
directed to the care of Dr. Macadam, the secretary, as they will
have to go by sea.

. . .

On the 17th of September he writes to his mother:--

Balranald, September 17th, 1860.

MY DEAR MOTHER,

As I have an opportunity of sending a few lines by this mail, I have
determined to take advantage of the chance, because I know how glad
you will be to receive them; but I have not time sufficient to give
you any account of our journey. We are now at the last township at
which we shall touch on our way towards the interior of the
continent. It is an out-of-the-way place, situated on the lower
part of the Murrumbidgee River. Our journey so far has been very
satisfactory: we are most fortunate as regards the season, for
there has been more rain this winter than has been known for the
last four or five years. In fact, it seems probable that we shall
finish our work in a much shorter period than was anticipated; very
likely in ten or twelve months. The country up here is beautiful;
everything green and pleasant; and if you saw it now, you would not
beli