s leads me to suppose they are on the
other or principal branch of the Flinders River; but I shall know more
about it in a few days. Abundance of water in the small creeks as far
east and south as I went today and some lagoons in the flats. The natives
commence their range of fires from 20 degrees west of south to 30 degrees
east of south, and I think I shall find that it will meet me on my
course. Wind in the afternoon from south by east, strong occasionally,
towards evening it died away. Beef now dry. We start from here tomorrow
if all is right and we have nothing more to detain us. The horses are
shod except one and that one, one of the best, no shoes being large
enough. I hope he will be able to get along. Our food now consists of
about 230 pounds of dry and salt beef, everything else in the shape of
food gone but I think we will have sufficient to carry us into the
settled districts of Queensland on the Burdekin River where we will be
able to get a fresh supply. We have a little salt and amongst the lot
about half a pound of soap.

Wednesday, June 11.

Camp 14. The bed of this branch here is one mass of concrete and
conglomerate, with small and large masses of ironstone, just as if it had
lately escaped from a furnace, with pebbles and pieces of quartz, some
sandstone, and sandstone in which is a mass of quartz. In many other
places it is quite a bed of sand its full width, and in other places
separated into different branches by bergues of alluvial deposit and
sand, with trees of different kinds and shrubs and reeds upon them. There
is a table-topped hill down on or near the north-west bank a few miles,
lightly wooded from north-north-east to south-west and apparently stony.
Not a breath of wind at daylight; afterwards in forenoon from
east-south-east. Started at 8.30 a.m. on bearing of 110 degrees, for
first few miles through open forest intersected with small creeks flowing
to west and south, some containing water with lagoons on the flat
occasionally, the drainage of the ranges to the eastward and north of our
course. The spurs coming down close on our left stony but well-grassed
and very lightly timbered, in fact nearly bald ridges. Over first stony
ridge at 10.10 and considerable-sized double creek at 10.17, dry at
crossing. Top of next high range at 11.15; five and a quarter miles. Very
extensive view. Spelled on top of hill waiting for the camels for
forty-five minutes till noon. Then started on bearing of