nvariably examined their
gizzards,) could we discover upon what they lived.

Our lunars placed us in long. 141 degrees 18 minutes 2 seconds E. and
lat. 30 degrees 49 minutes 29 seconds S. Up to this point we had
traversed nothing but a desert, which, as far as our examinations had
extended, was worse on either side than the line on which we were moving;
how much further that gloomy region extended, or rather how far we were
destined to wander into it, was then a mystery.

The heat now became so great that it was almost unbearable, the
thermometer every day rose to 112 degrees or 116 degrees in the shade,
whilst in the direct rays of the sun from 140 degrees to 150 degrees. I
really felt much anxiety on account of Mr. Poole and Mr. Browne, who did
not return to the camp until the 25th. So great was the heat, that the
bullocks never quitted the shade of the trees during the day, and the
horses perspired from their exertions to get rid of the mosquitos. On the
22nd the natives fired the hills to the north of us, and thus added to
the heat of the atmosphere, and filled the air with smoke.

At 7 a.m. on the morning of that day the thermometer stood at 97 degrees;
at noon it had risen 10 degrees, and at 3 p.m., the hottest period of the
day, it rose to 118 degrees in the shade. The wind was generally from the
E.S.E., but it drew round with the sun, and blew fresh from the north at
mid-day, moderating to a dead calm at sunset, or with light airs from the
west. A deep purple hue was on the horizon every morning and evening,
opposite to the rising and setting sun, and was a sure indication of
excessive heat.

On the 23rd I sent Flood and Lewis to the N.E., with instructions to
return on Christmas-day. At this time the men generally complained of
disordered bowels and sore eyes, but I attributed both to the weather,
and to the annoyance of the flies and mosquitos. The seeds were ripening
fast along the banks of the creek, and we collected as many varieties as
we could; but they matured so rapidly, and the seed-vessels burst so
suddenly that we had to watch them.

The comet, which we had first noticed on the 17th of the month, now
appeared much higher and brighter than at first. Its tail had a slight
curve, and it seemed to be rather approaching the earth than receding
from it.

On the morning of the 24th, about 5 a.m., I was roused from sleep by an
alarm in the camp, and heard a roaring noise as of a heavy wind in that
dir