m, with saplings. There is plenty of water in the creek at
present, from the late rain, but I see nothing to indicate its becoming
permanent. Distance to-day, twelve miles.

Thursday, 15th July, Mulga and Gum Creek. Left the camp at 9 a.m. on a
bearing of 190 degrees for two miles, thence 230 degrees for one mile and
a half, thence 250 degrees for four miles and a half, thence 286 degrees
for two miles, thence 290 degrees for one mile, thence 270 degrees for
five miles, thence 320 degrees for one mile, to camp at some mallee. The
country on both sides of the creek is good, but subject to be flooded;
the width of the plain is about fifteen miles, bounded on the south side
by bare stony rises, and on the north by scrubby rises. The creek spreads
itself all over the plain, which seems to be very extensive. It has been
excessively cold to-day: wind from the west. Distance to-day, seventeen
miles.

Friday, 16th July, Large Plain, Mulga and Gum Creek. Left the camp at 9
a.m., on a bearing of 270 degrees for nine miles. The first six miles was
a continuation of the creek and plain; it then turned to the north-west
and the sand hills commenced. At nine miles we had a good view of the
surrounding country, from the east to the north-west. To the west we
could see the range that we crossed on the 11th instant trending away to
the north-west as far as the eye could reach, apparently a sandy and
scrubby country with small patches of open ground intervening. There also
appeared to be a gum creek, about five miles west of this point. Seeing
there was no hope for anything to the west for a long distance, I changed
my course to the south on a bearing of 190 degrees to cross the stony
rise, keeping on the sand hills for the benefit of the horses' feet. At
five miles found that the sandy country swept round the stony rise, the
country still having the appearance of scrub and sand hills all round. I
altered my course to south-east to 132 degrees for fourteen miles; on
this course we have ridden over a scrubby plain of a light sandy soil,
most beautifully grassed but dry, the young feed not having sprung. We
have not seen a drop of water on the surface; the ground evidently
absorbs all that falls; the scrub is principally the mulga and hakea
bushes and acacia, with a few other small bushes, but very little salt
bush. Camped to-night without water. The grey mare appears to be getting
round again; it seems to have been an affection of the che