that surrounds the water-mark
of lake; then began to ascend the sandhills which were very soft, high
and steep, for about half a mile or little more, to the highest of them
on same course. Changed course to 85 degrees, descending the various
sandhills for about a mile; then alternate flooded flats with timber
(box) and polygonum, and sandhills, till arrived at a water close by my
course home yesterday, and within three-quarters of a mile of where I
intended to fix the camp as depot; and which will suit the purpose very
well, having sufficient water and abundance of grass on a large flooded
flat immediately east of, and running north and south. Distance travelled
on last course six and a half miles, total distance eight and a half
miles to Careri Creek, which seems to flow from the west of north, or
nearly north and south; but name of waterhole is Wantula Depot.

Thursday, October 17.

At depot making arrangements for a start; out in search of the water the
whites are supposed to be at. I will take with me Mr. Hodgkinson,
Middleton, and a native of this country, Bulingani (who seems to say he
knows something of the whites) four camels, three horses, one hundred and
sixty pounds of flour, thirty-two pounds of sugar, four pounds of tea,
eleven pounds of bacon, and some little necessary, etc., for persons
likely to be in a weak state. Leave Bell in charge of the arrangements of
the camp, Davies in charge of the stores. About twenty natives are
encamped within pistol shot; but have made a fold for the sheep and put
everything in such a shape that I may find things all right on my return.
Opened the sausages and found them all less or more damaged, one tin in
fact as nearly rotten as possible, which have to be thrown away; the
others are now drying in the sun in the hopes we may be able to use them.
We would have been in a sad fix without the sheep.

Friday, October 18.

At 8 a.m. started; crossed well-grassed flooded polygonum flats or plains
for an hour, crossing Kiradinte in the Careri Creek; then left the creek
on the left and passed over a succession of sand ridges. At 9.15 arrived
at Lake Cudye-cudyena at about nine miles. It was quite a treat,
abundance of good water, and any quantity of grass of various kinds, and
plenty of clover. It bears 345 degrees, is about six miles long, and
fully half a mile wide, well timbered. On a bearing from this southern
end of lake (now called Lake Buchanan after Mr. Buchanan of Anla