day, but in
our present position it was running South-West, with several lagoons in
the valley, full of Nymphaea and Villarsia; our latitude here was 15
degrees 33 minutes south.

September 24.

We crossed the creek and proceeded northward, till we camped by a dry
creek, from the bed of which we obtained water by digging. During the
day's journey, we passed over some flats of rotten honeycomb ground, on
which nothing was growing but a few stunted shrubs, and a blue herbaceous
plant belonging to the order Boragineae. We also passed over other sandy
flats covered with broad-leafed Melaleucas and Grevillias, and a few
Banksias. On these flats ant-hills occurred, and in their vicinity there
was seldom much grass. The grasses generally growing there were annual
kinds. It was Mr. Kennedy's opinion that the creek we crossed this
morning joined the river we left on the 16th, and formed the Mitchell,
although the country hereabouts did not resemble the banks of the
Mitchell, as described by Leichhardt; but the appearance of the country
varies so much every few miles, particularly to the westward, that it is
impossible to support an opposite opinion on this ground.

September 25.

As three of the horses could not be found this morning, four men were
left behind to search for them while the rest of the party travelled on.
They had not come up with us at about four o'clock, and being anxious to
find water before dark, we proceeded along a narrow open valley covered
with long grass and large pandanus trees, skirted on each side by rather
scrubby forest land. At dark we reached a large waterhole. One of the men
left behind shortly arrived, and stated that the rest had halted for the
night. Mr. Kennedy being anxious to bring all the horses to water, and to
have the party together, sent me back to conduct them to the camp, which
I very soon did, even though it was dark, the track being very plain. We
collected a great many nondas to-day and baked some of them with our
bread, which was the only way we could eat them cooked; they were much
better fresh from the trees, but we found them rather astringent. Spring,
our best kangaroo dog, was unable to come up to the camp this day, being
overpowered by the heat of the sun, a circumstance we all regretted, as
he was a most excellent watchdog.

September 26.

We travelled a good stage this morning before we found water--in a sandy
creek, where the country seemed to fall slightly to the