the foot. I find that I have taken the wrong creek to
get through the bluff. The Hugh still comes in that way, but more to the
westward. Started at 10 o'clock; the hills very bad to get over; wind
easterly. Camped at sundown on the creek; there is an abundance of water,
which apparently is permanent, from the number of rushes growing all
about it. The feed is splendid. There are a number of fresh native
tracks.

Saturday, 14th April, McDonnell Range. Started at 8 o'clock to follow the
creek, as it seems to be the best way of getting through the other
ranges; but, as it comes too much from the east, I must leave it, and get
through at some of the low hills further down. This we at last contrived
to do after a severe struggle. It has taken us the whole day to come
about five miles. We are now camped, north of the bluff, at a gorge, in
which there is a good spring of water; the creeks now run north from the
range.

Sunday, 15th April, The North Gorge of McDonnell Range. I ascended the
high hill on the east side of the gorge; the atmosphere being much
clearer, I got a better view of the country. To the north-west, between
the McDonnell range and the conical hill north-north-west, is a large
plain, apparently scrub; no hills on the horizon, but a light shade in
the far distance; the conical hill bears 340 degrees from this; it
appears to be high. From the foot of this, for about five miles, is an
open grassy country, with a few small patches of bushes. A number of gum
creeks come from the ranges, and seem to empty themselves in the plains.
The country in the ranges is as fine a pastoral hill-country as a man
would wish to possess; grass to the top of the hills, and abundance of
water through the whole of the ranges. I forgot to mention that the nut
we found on the south side of the range is not fit to eat; it caused both
men to vomit violently. I ate one, but it had no bad effect on me.

Monday, 16th April, The North Gorge of McDonnell Range. Started at 9
o'clock to cross the scrub for the distant high peak. For five miles the
plain was open and well grassed: afterwards it became thick, with mulga
bushes and other scrubs. At twenty miles we again encountered the
spinifex, which continued until we camped after dark. Distance, thirty
miles. Met with no creek or watercourse after leaving the McDonnell
ranges.

Tuesday, 17th April, In the Scrub. Got an early start, and continued
through the scrub and spinifex on the same co