ht have
been expected, and travelled where three different rocks, domite,
sandstone, and basalt, came in contact, and where springs are so
frequently found, yet not a drop of water could we find. In travelling
over the hot plains our horses began to fail us; neither whip nor spur
could accelerate their snail-like pace; they seemed to expect that every
little shade of the scattered trees would prove a halting-place; and it
was not without the greatest difficulty that we could induce them to pass
on. It was indeed distressingly hot: with open mouths we tried to catch
occasional puffs of a cooler air; our lips and tongue got parched, our
voice became hoarse, and our speech unintelligible. Both of us, but
particularly my poor companion, were in the most deplorable state. In
order to ease my horse, I tried to walk; but, after a few paces. I found
it impossible; I was too much exhausted. At this distressing moment,
however, we crossed the tracks of horses and bullocks, and then we knew
we were near the camp, the sight of which, a short time afterwards, was
most welcome to us.

Jan. 29.--Finding that one of the water-holes of the camp had dried up,
and that the other was very muddy, we returned to larger water-holes two
miles to the south-east. After having done this, I sent Mr. Gilbert and
Charley down the creek, to ascertain its course, and to see whether it
would be practicable to skirt the highland of peak range to the westward.

Last night thunder-storms were gathering to the south-west, but they did
not come up to us. The night breeze is very strong and regular, and sets
in invariably between a quarter and half-past eight o'clock; last night
it was quite a gale, which I considered to be the indication of a change
in the weather, and of rain.

John Murphy brought the flower of a yellow Hibiscus from Roper's Peak: it
is certainly a new species.

Jan. 30.--Last night clouds gathered into a thunder-storm to the
south-west, but it passed by with very little rain: heavy clouds hung
round us, in every direction, but it seemed as if even their passage over
the parched plains exhausted their moisture. In the east and south-east a
heavy thunder cloud, with incessant lightning, was seen, but so distant
that we could not hear the thunder. In the morning, loose clouds spread
over the whole sky: this was the first cloudy day we had experienced for
the last three weeks. Nature looks quite refreshed; the grass is so
green, and the m