town I weighed fifteen stone eleven pounds, now I weigh
exactly twelve stone. Clear but excessively hot with occasionally a
little thunder and some showers this morning, and it looked as if we were
going to have it heavy but it passed off.

Tuesday, February 18.

With one thing and the other, and one of the bullocks absent, was late at
starting. Pain gone today but excessively weak. Started at 11.30, course
340 degrees; flooded box-cracked land for one mile. At seven and a half
miles further passing over bare mud plain destitute of any vegetation,
with a couple of sandhills and the main creek beyond them to the east. On
this distance half a mile off is the bed of a large creek flowing to the
south and west, no water at present in it. Close to this point one of our
best bullocks was struck dead with the heat of the sun walking leisurely
along carrying nothing; the rest of the party were much in advance and,
as it was such a fearfully hot day and not a drop of water near, nothing
could be done with the flesh of him unfortunately. At five miles further
came to a large deep creek flowing westward, no water in it. Up to this
point was to be seen in the distance westward apparent breaks in the
sandhills with box timber in each; and I have no doubt many of those
places form into large creeks by the terrific overflow of this main
creek. At one mile further on (340 degrees) crossing this creek on to top
of sandhill, changed course to 38 degrees, the creek from the sandhill
bearing considerably eastward. At two and a quarter miles over flooded
flats and at some rainwater where I afterwards camped; at two miles
further struck the creek but not a drop of water; searched up and down
for some distance but none to be found, so returned to the rainwater two
miles back from the creek, where fortunately there was sufficient for all
the animals. The flood here, when it does occur, fills the whole valley
between the sandhills on either side of the creek, and after such
occasions must appear a splendid country; but at present no country could
possibly look more desolate. This cannot possibly be Eyre's Creek as it
is much larger in the first place, and seems to bear away too much to the
east ever to be a continuation of Sturt's Eyre's Creek. Traces of Burke's
camels and horses are still to be seen on the creek; I fancy on his
return from the Gulf. I feel very ill this evening, hardly able to sit in
the saddle.

Wednesday, February 19.