s about ten to
eleven feet deep with about one foot of water at present in it and good.
I suppose a considerable quantity could be had if the hole were enlarged.
Close by there was an encampment of blacks, in all about a dozen, not the
same apparent well-fed fellows that frequent the lakes and main creeks.
From enquiry it appears that during the dry season this is the sort of
water they have to depend upon, and I think the wells are few and far
between. A high sandhill was some little distance off and to it I went;
from the top of which I had an extensive view. Could see nothing
northward and westward but a jumble of lower sandhills looking very
dreary without even a creek with its timber to break the monotony of the
view. From the top of the hill there was water at a distance of one and a
half to one and three-quarter miles. Depot about sixteen miles distant.
Goderannie Creek is deep, with abundance of fish of various sorts, and
drains all the creeks that fill our depot lake, and the creek to the west
of the lake over the sandhills. Started the blackfellows and whites to
dig a well close by the depot before I went away this morning. At eight
feet eight inches struck water (good). Will deepen it tomorrow and see
what supply would be likely to be had if necessity would require it.
Party not yet returned; feel quite uneasy about them but suppose they did
not get what they were sent for as soon as they expected.

Thursday, November 28.

At daylight wind strong from south-south-east, at sunrise temperature 63
degrees. Enlarging and deepening the well. Temperature at noon in the sun
and wind 106 degrees; at sunset 73 degrees. Finished the well, now being
nine feet six inches deep, three and a half feet broad and five feet
long. For the first four feet it was a mixture of light-coloured clay and
fine sand, next three and a half feet was a mixture of gypsum and blue
clay, next to bottom a little clay mixed with chiefly fine sand, then the
water seemed to come in from all quarters. Party not yet
arrived--exceedingly anxious about them.

Friday, November 29.

Wind south-south-east and cool at sunrise, temperature 54 degrees, being
much lower than we have had it except once. There is a depth of ten
inches of water in the well during twelve hours. At 7.30 a.m. two natives
arrived on opposite side of the lake, bringing the joyous tidings that
the party under charge of Mr. Hodgkinson had camped at a creek called
Keradinti about