nticipated; the
rocky hills recede occasionally and leave a nice bank of grass, but most
of it recently burnt by the natives; on our left the rock appeared now to
be chiefly slate, while on the right it still remained sandstone and
quartz; the bed is broad and generally very open and sandy, upon which we
have principally to travel; followed it for about eight miles in about an
east-south-east course. From here (Camp 20) for some distance (seen from
a hill here) the river appears to receive from the east by south
generally plenty of water at intervals and generally at those places
running; no doubt all the way it runs either over or under the land.
Where we are now encamped the river is upwards of 150 yards broad. We
found on turning out the camel meat to air that it was quite putrid and
had consequently to throw the whole of it away; at this time it is a very
great loss to us, the loss of upwards of seventy pounds of food. Even
with the spell our horses have had they come along very indifferently,
and I am almost afraid some more of them will have to be left behind as I
have not sufficient food to wait spelling for them till they get flesh;
there does not appear to be the same nourishment in the grass that there
is almost anywhere else. Saw the smoke of natives a few miles ahead of
us; I suppose we will see something of them tomorrow. Shot a new pigeon,
will try to preserve the skin. Some figs were got by some of the party
this morning before starting; I ate one of them apparently ripe, it was
very insipid, the principal part of them were full of small flies.
Distance travelled by bed of river not direct about ten and a half miles.

Friday, June 20.

Camp 20. Heavy dew last night; sky completely overcast with very heavy
rainy-looking clouds. We have now on hand dried meat sufficient for about
five and a half days, at the rate of one pound three ounces per day
without salt or anything else, which is not very heavy diet. I never saw
a country where less game was to be obtained; what euro and wallaby are
here are so very wild there is no getting near them. Just here the hills
are not so high or so rough as some distance further down; I hope they
may continue so, that the animals won't be distressed more than possible.
Not a breath of wind this morning. Our course as seen from a hill close
by last night will be about east-south-east for some distance this
morning. Started at 8.10 a.m.; at three and a quarter miles came to a