barrier right across from range to range, and after considerable
detention succeeded in finding a road on our left round the range that
the barriers form from; at four miles came to where one branch (the
largest) comes from the south with plenty of water in its bed in the
stone and rocks; the other branch is considerably to the east so will try
it, although it does not at all look a watery branch but is much more in
the direction I want to go. About the same course, over much more open
country, hilly and thinly clad with small ironbark timber, and is chiefly
of slate formation and well-grassed, but no water in its bed as far as we
went, say about five and a half miles further where we fortunately got
sufficient at the junction of a small side creek with the main
watercourse to suit our immediate wants. It is perfectly surprising to
see such a broad channel with such ranges close by and no water. One
other of our best horses obliged to be left behind today; he has been
ailing for some short time and all at once refused to proceed. A few
kangaroo seen today. I trust we will fall in with plenty of water
tomorrow, our horses never do so well as when they can go to water
themselves instead of watering out of buckets. For some distance the
creek bears to north of east; in fact the next bend, about a mile long,
is from north or so, when it appears to turn to south and east. We
managed occasionally during today to get upon the slopes from the hills
on either side of the creek, which was much better travelling than in the
soft sandy bed of the creek, which I have called Stuart's Creek after Mr.
McDouall Stuart, the indefatigable explorer of South Australia. This part
would make a good sound sheep country if water at all times was
obtainable. A number of oaks all along this branch, and more just here on
our left side of the creek where the water is, and we are encamped.

Saturday, June 21.

Camp 21. The clouds of yesterday passed over with only a few drops of
rain just after starting. Today cloudy again; wind from east by north;
started at 7.53 a.m. As the horses came in to water, just before
starting, we found that the horse Jamie had come up during the night but
looks hardly able to drag his legs after him. It is a great pity as he is
a splendid hackney and is a great loss at present. The narrow-leafed
papery-barked tree grows on the sides of the creek to a great size and
height, completely overtopping the gums, oaks, etc. Th