n this part of the country.
Wind rather strong from north and continues steady in that quarter.
Trying today to jerk a portion of the horse to cause what we have got to
spin out. A good many fleecy clouds flying about early part of afternoon
and the wind has changed a little to the west of north. In our present
state we don't want to see any rain till we get into the stations, as now
we are tentless and of course have nothing to cover the sick in case of
wet. Late in the afternoon wind considerably to the west, at sunset quite
a calm, very cloudy and every appearance of rain, trust that it will blow
off. A great number of large-sized kangaroos here but rather shy.
Although there is abundance of grass of different kinds here the camels
eat but little of it and do very badly; about the lakes north-east of
Lake Torrens is the place for them; they eat nearly everything in the
shape of grass and shrubs that grow there, but here it is quite
different; but few acacias here of which they are very fond.

Wednesday, July 2.

Camp, Jack's Swamp. No rain last night and but little dew; the clouds
have all dispersed. Wind from north varying to east and west of that
point and a beautiful hot day. The horses appearing to do well. Maitland
improving; Kirby about the same, also Palmer.

Thursday, July 3.

Camp, Jack's Swamp. Little dew again last night, wind northerly and
easterly throughout the day, sun rather warm but not disagreeably so. The
hills hereabouts are composed of substrata of decomposing sandstone with
roots growing or dead in the fissures, the top rugged at and near the
crest, with a description of stone like decaying burnt brick, broken into
fragments although apparently united; very precipitous and often
overhanging near the tops of the ranges, with table-tops, generally
scrubby, still with good timber even on top and where it is more open,
fair grass in places and spinifex in others, with heavy deep ravines down
the slopes on all sides and well-grassed and timbered in the valleys.
From the top of range near our camp one has an extensive view; southward
is a large valley, the receiver of all the drainage of the hills east and
west of it; south the range is low and over it can be discerned several
conical wooded hills of greater and lesser sizes; beyond them in the
distance can be seen two considerable ranges from north-north-east to
south-south-west; at the latter point they suddenly terminate in nearly
precipitous b