oak creek at three and a half miles from
west by south, swampy; continued this bearing for six and three-quarter
to seven miles and changed course to 60 degrees east of south; one and
three-quarter miles an immense swamp and lagoons, basalt ridges; close
round crossed over these ridges; bore a little more to the east; and at
five and three-quarters crossed a splendid stream from south by west with
a number of anabranches. Basalt on the flats as well as the ridges;
changed course to about east by south, horses tiring; halted at same,
strong-running stream at four and three-quarter miles; as it passes it
flows over falls in an east-south-east course along the foot of basalt
ridges and comes, as far as visible, from west and north. East of this,
apparently opposite side of the Burdekin River, are bald-topped ridges
about eight miles distant; basalt ridge on this side a considerable
distance in that direction. Distance twenty-two miles today. I have taken
the liberty of naming the stream (to all intents and purposes an
important river, though narrow compared with some streams, but down which
quite as great a supply of pure water is now running as in the Burdekin)
the River Browne after W.J. Browne, Esquire, of Booboorowie, South
Australia. Large masses of granite are here in the bed of this river and
on its banks, although the ridges close by are composed of very cellular
basalt and close-grained sandstone. No mountains visible at all close in
any direction. From the top of the heights, close to our camp, lots of
tracks of sheep and cattle. No appearance of a station; fancy they have
taken to the creeks.

Friday, July 18.

Very cold during the night, but beautiful morning. This river runs
parallel to the Burdekin for some distance and at only a very short
distance between. Started at 8.20 a.m. over the basalt ridges for the
sake of better travelling than we are likely to have in the Burdekin, for
some distance at least. South for one mile, then east-south-east through
open forest with basalt blocks occasionally, and rather swampy-inclined
land for two and three-quarter miles. Crossed a small sandy creek, vast
numbers of young palms, from south, then the land of granite formation
and stony; drainage to north and east. At three and one quarter miles
crossed large sandy creek with water and a number of large palms and
gums, from south-west, immediately after crossing, undulations of quite
sandy country but commencing with bu