morning we
had some heavy showers without wind; it cleared up at ten o'clock, and we
took advantage of four hours fair weather to travel on. We again passed
the huts of the natives, and encamped about seven miles farther down the
creek. We were, however, scarcely housed, when heavy showers of rain
began to fall, and rendered the soil, which was a stiff loam, heavy and
boggy.

Dec. 27.--Though we had hobbled our horses with straps and stirrup
leathers, they had strayed, during the night, to the more open country,
where they separated from each other in search of food; and it was not
until after three hours search that Charley found the greater part of
them. We had, however, watched the bullocks during the night, and were
therefore enabled to proceed; which we did as far as the fine sheet of
water before mentioned, when Charley again went in search of the missing
horses, with which he returned after some time.

The showers continued until about 10 o'clock last night; at 3 A. M. the
sky became clear, and continued so through the morning, except an
occasional cloud from the eastward.

Mr. Calvert found a Bauhinia in blossom; which was not only different
from the Bauhinia found afterwards at Comet River, but also from that of
the Mitchell. Mr. Gilbert found a new species of sleeping lizard, with
four lighter stripes on the dark brown ground along the back, and with
dark spots on the sides. Mr. Roper shot some ducks, and I found a species
of Ancylus; besides the species of Limnaea and Paludina, which we had
previously met with.

Dec. 28.--We travelled over the Box-tree flat, until we reached the open
basaltic ridges mentioned on the 23rd December, and kept along their
base. The creek, which had disappeared on the flat, here again formed a
large deep channel, lined with Melaleucas. Hollows existed along the
hills, and water-holes ran in lines parallel to the creek; all now quite
dry; a scrubby forest land alternated with open flats and Bricklow
thickets. Water was very scarce; and having encamped my party, I started
immediately to reconnoitre the country. I followed the creek to the
northward, and found it lined by scrub; but the belt along its west side
was narrow, and beyond it, a fine open undulating country was observed
extending far to the south-west and west, in which direction the loom of
distant ranges was seen. These plains, which had some patches of open
forest land, were, at the request of my companion, Mr. Calv