e junction of the
Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect
Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction,
favoured by a better season. At the same time, it was probable that, like
ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follow down the river,
and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his
north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern
side; and we therefore continued our search down towards the Thompson
River.

29th April to 2nd May.

The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed
traces of tremendous floods. The soil near the river was often
deeply-cracked mud, water very scarce, and grass seldom seen. The back
country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or
gravel; and such was the unpromising appearance that I began to fear that
our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having camped
at a waterhole during Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain commenced, and
though the greater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil,
some of the channels of the river filled and commenced to flow. This
relieved us from much difficulty as regarded the want of water, and
enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise
inaccessible.

3rd May.

Just as we were leaving our camp a party of seven natives made their
appearance; but though they came up to us, and talked much, I could get
no useful information from them. As the party moved on they followed us,
and thinking they were not observed, made an attempt to throw a spear at
one of the men; but Mr. C. Gregory, wheeling his horse quickly and
presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and
left us to pursue our journey in peace.

THE THOMPSON RIVER.

4th May to 6th May.

The abundance of water was not without its inconveniences, and had the
rain continued the party would have been annihilated, as our camp was
between the deep channels which intersected the plain; and in attempting
to extricate ourselves from the plains subject to inundation, found
ourselves so completely entangled among the numerous deep channels and
boggy gullies, in some of which the horses narrowly escaped suffocation
in the soft mud, that after having forded one branch of the river,
carrying the whole equipment across on our own backs, constructing a
bridge over a second for the transport of the stores,