it had a most disagreeable taste
and flavour from some naphtha, or some such liquid, having been
carelessly allowed to be spilt over it on its way, I understand, from
Port Augusta to Blanchewater; and I attribute the whole of the illness of
the party to the use of the flour saturated as it is by this rascally
stuff. In the afternoon Mr. Hodgkinson and Middleton returned; they
report having seen a considerable quantity of rainwater about thirteen
miles this side of Lake Goonaidringinnie, and plenty of water in that
lake and good; also plenty of natives on its banks. Lake Moolionboorana
very much reduced and unfit for my purpose. Heavy rain all through the
night with heavy thunder and lightnings. I have now abandoned the idea of
going to Goonaidringinnie and will start towards Eyre's Creek, passing or
following, at some seventy miles from this, a large creek named by the
natives here Panbacra.

Sunday, February 9.

Still raining a little and the ground too soft to travel over but, if
much more does not fall, will start in the morning. The rain that has
fallen is quite a godsend, both to this party and to the natives who have
started off to the sandhills in all directions to obtain the lizards and
other animals that escape to the sandhills for protection from the
floods.

Monday, February 10.

Started the cart at 7.50 a.m., and horses and camels to start afterwards
for Wattiegoroonita. Passed over sandhills to top of a sandhill that
rounds the lake, and over alternate sandhills and bare flats for nine and
a half miles, passing at about six miles on the last course a small salt
lake; travelled on the north-east side of it as it was boggy. The lake is
called Warmagoladhailie. The ground very soft and heavy travelling.
Travelled along the sand ranges and over spinifex and stony flooded
flats, then over one small sandhill and stony desert. Camped at a few
bushes to boil the teakettle, there being not a blade of grass; but a few
saltbushes are near which the animals must do the best with for one
night. Astonishing the small quantity of water passed for the last eight
or nine miles. Distance travelled today twenty-four miles. The natives
are out here looking for the snakes and other small reptiles and animals
that live in the sandhills everywhere in this quarter whether hot or
cold, regardless of the want of water. This is a most dismal-looking
camp; there are a few isolated sandhills north and west of this. Cart and
sheep