grown up. There was also good grass
on the ground which had been flooded near the channels of the river. We
came here in about the following courses: 11.30 north-east four miles;
12.15 north-east four miles; 2.10 north-north-east four miles; 4.10 north
and by east five miles; 4.35 east-north-east one mile; 5.10 east one and
a half miles. Total fifteen and a quarter miles. About four miles
north-east from last camp I made the meridian altitude A.H. of the sun
106 degrees 50 minutes; the latitude by that observation is 24 degrees 34
minutes.

April 22. Tuesday. Barcoo River, Camp 53.

Left Camp 52 at 9.22 and followed up the river on its western side one
and a half miles. Doing so brought us in a north-easterly direction to
here. In the first part we came more northerly than easterly and in the
latter part more easterly than northerly. The country we saw was like
that seen yesterday, except being scrubby at a few places. In the middle
of the day Jemmy and I waited behind the main party and I made an
observation of the sun to get our latitude. As we were riding to overtake
the main party we passed nets for catching emu and nets for catching
fish. We then passed an elderly gin and a little boy watching earnestly
our main party, and immediately afterwards we came upon about a dozen
blacks. Mr. Bourne informed me that they had followed him for several
miles and had persisted in approaching nearer than was desirable. Jemmy
had a long conversation with them respecting the explorers they had seen,
and also respecting the route towards the settled districts, which he
learned some of them had visited. They said they did not remember any
explorers who had larger animals than horses and, strange to say, none
who had drays. We presented them with glass bottles, an empty powder
flask, and some hair from the horses' tales. Jemmy told them we wanted to
encamp and that we did not wish to be too near them. They continued to
follow us and on Jemmy asking them why they did so they replied they
wanted a light. We gave them one and they left; but after we had camped
we found they had encamped very near us. We came here on the following
courses: 11.30 north-north-east seven miles; 12.30 nil; 1.15
north-north-east two miles; 3.15 north-east by east four and
three-quarter miles; 3.35 east-north-east three-quarters of a mile; 4.45
north-east three miles; 5.25 east one mile. Eighteen and a half miles.

April 23. Wednesday. Barcoo River, Camp 54