30th August.
We did not start till late, as Mr. Brown had to go back some little
distance for his horse, which had been again left behind overnight,
knocked up. As it would have been useless, in the present condition of
our horses, to attempt at once to enter the ranges to the east, we
determined to follow up the river for a few days to the south-south-east
and by so doing secure feed and water, and give the poor animals a chance
of recovering their strength; we therefore followed the river up for
seven or eight miles, through fine open forest country, and encamped near
a deep pool, in which were caught ten or twelve dozen of small trout,
which, with cockatoos and ducks, afforded an important addition to our
ration of only seven ounces of meat. This river was named the Oakover.
Camp 72.
31st August.
For nearly ten miles the river continued to lead us to the eastward of
south; it then divided, the main channel coming from the south-west; we,
however, followed the eastern branch until quite satisfied that it
contained no water, and then fell back to the westward, striking the
river near some cliffs, at the foot of which water was plentiful.
Although only 1 p.m., I determined to halt for the remainder of the day,
as it was too late to make an attempt to enter the hills without giving
the horses the advantage of some hours' feed and rest. It also afforded
me leisure to make astronomical observations and work up the plans of our
route. A set of lunar distances, very carefully taken, placed the camp in
longitude 121 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds east, while that by account,
carried on by triangulation and dead-reckoning from the Sherlock, placed
us four and a half miles more to the westward; the latitude being 21
degrees 23 minutes 43 seconds. Camp 73.
1st September (Sunday).
Read prayers.
2nd September.
A march of three hours across the plains to the eastward brought us to
the foot of the range, which we entered by a tolerably easy pass, and
soon came upon a pool of water in a tributary to the Oakover, the mouth
of which had been passed on our ascent of that river. Here we halted for
two hours, and then resumed our route through steep and rocky hills,
containing numerous fine springs. It was not until 7 p.m. that we finally
got through the ranges, and emerged upon open sandy plains of vast
extent, no object being observable from north-north-east round to
south-south-east except low ridges of red drift-sand, in many parts
nearly bare of vegetation. A large party of natives were encamped upon
the watercourse down which we descended to the plain. Not wishing to
alarm them, we passed the waterholes from which they were supplied, and
proceeded a mile farther, but had in consequence to camp without water,
although amongst abundance of grass. Camp 74.
Latitude 21 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds.