young one up before
her. She was a tall, well-made woman. The man (an old fellow), tall,
stout, and robust, although startled at our appearance, took it leisurely
in getting out of the water, ascended the bank, and had a look at us; he
then addressed us in his own language, and seemed to work himself up into
a great passion, stopping every now and then and spitting fiercely at us
like an old tiger. He also ascended the tree, and then gave us a second
edition of it. We leisurely watered our horses, and he was very much
surprised to see Thring dismount and lead the pack-horse down to the
water, so much so that he never said another word, but remained staring
at us until we departed, when he commenced again. This water being
sufficient for my purpose, I will go no further up the creek, but return
to the last night's camp. Wind, south-east.

Thursday, 7th March, The Hugh. As my horses are very tired, and the
distance between my main camp on the Finke and the water we discovered
yesterday being upwards of fifty miles, I will remain here to-day, dig
down to the clay, and try if I can obtain enough water for all the party;
for, owing to the extreme heat, and the dryness of the feed, many of our
weak horses are unable to go a night without water. By 8 p.m. we dug a
trench ten feet long, two feet and a half deep, and two feet and a half
broad; it is about twelve feet below the level of the creek. We have had
a very hard day's work. Wind, south-east. Day very hot.

Friday, 8th March, The Hugh. This morning very cold; wind, still
south-east. The trench is quite full; our four horses made very little
impression on it. I shall send up and enlarge the trench, so that we may
be enabled to water the whole lot. At 6.40 a.m. started back for the
camp. At 1.45 p.m. halted to give the horses a little rest. At 2.30 p.m.
changed to 184 degrees, and at four miles reached the table hills, but
there was no creek, only a number of clay-pans, all quite dry, with
stunted gum-trees growing round them. Changed my bearing to Mount Santo,
passing a number of clay-pans of the same description; from thence
proceeded to the camp; arrived there at sundown, and found all right.
Plenty of water; the horses make little impression on it. Wind,
south-east.

Saturday, 9th March, The Finke. I shall give Thring a rest to-day, and
will send him with two others, and a part of the horses, to-morrow to the
Hugh, to make a place large enough to water all. From about