12th December.
Started at 5.30 a.m., and steered north 245 degrees east for one and a
half hours, when we passed the high bluff of the range and changed the
course north 330 degrees east, keeping three-quarters of a mile east of
the remarkable hill called the Tower, by Captain Stokes, from a
remarkable rock on the summit. The country was very rough and stony,
though the ridge we passed over was not more than 200 or 300 feet above
the river. Continuing a north-north-west course, at 9.45 reached the bank
of the Victoria, which was followed on a course of 200 degrees till
10.10, when a large creek joined the river; this creek drains nearly the
whole of Beagle Valley, and takes its rise in the north-west slope of
Stokes' Range. The course was then westerly till 12.15 p.m., when we
encamped in a grassy flat one-third of a mile from the river. Marked a
large adansonia tree 12 on its south side.
13th December.
Leaving our bivouac at 5.30 a.m., followed the valley of the river,
passing the ridge at back of Steep Head at 10.0., and halted at Timber
Creek at 11.0. The heavy rains which occurred in Beagle Valley do not
appear to have extended to this part of the country, and the grass is
still dry and withered. At 2.30 p.m. resumed our route and reached the
principal camp at 6.30, and found the party all well, except Richards,
who was still suffering severely from the injury to his wrist. Mr. Baines
was absent, having started on Wednesday in search of two horses which had
strayed to the westward.