29th January.
Preparing equipment for the party proceeding to the interior and making
arrangements for the formation of the depot camp; the party to consist of
myself, Mr. H. Gregory, Dr. Mueller, and C. Dean, Mr. Baines remaining at
the depot in charge. Selected eleven of the strongest horses and had them
re-shod; fitted four with riding and seven with pack saddles. The
following provisions were packed for the journey: 150 pounds pork, 300
pounds flour, 50 pounds rice, 10 pounds sago, 8 pounds tea, 6 pounds
coffee, 48 pounds sugar.
30th January.
Left the camp at 7.30 a.m. and steered an average course south-south-east
till 10.20, over stony ground, at the junction of the sandstone and trap
formation, and camped at a fine running creek which came from a rocky
gorge in the sandstone range to the west of our course. Messrs. Baines
and Bowman, who had accompanied us thus far, returned to the camp, which
I had instructed him to move to this creek as better for the horses, as
one of them had shown symptoms of poison, and I feared to leave them in
that locality. A severe attack of the fever, from which I had been
suffering since the beginning of the month, precluded our proceeding
farther this day, as I had at first intended. At 5 p.m. it commenced
raining, and continued till midnight with incessant thunder and
lightning.
31st January.
Being able to mount my horse, at 8 a.m. left the camp and steered a
course south-east by south, along the foot of the sandstone range--the
basalt plain extending to the north-east. At 12.45 p.m. camped on a
shallow watercourse trending to the south-south-west. The whole of the
country to the east of our track, except some isolated hills, appear to
be covered with excellent grass. The evening was raining, with continuous
thunder.
1st February.
Steered north 160 degrees east from 6.25 a.m. till 7.0 across the
basaltic plain, then crossed a large creek trending east, in which there
were some large pools of water. We then entered the sandstone country,
and crossed several rocky ridges; at 9.10 we had a good view from one of
the ridges to the north and east. Fine grassy plains extended almost to
the horizon, to the south the country consisted of sandstone ranges, and
to the south-east large grassy plains and rocky ridges appeared to
alternate with each other. Changing the course to south-east, traversed a
fine plain covered with grass, beyond which was a rocky ridge, and then a
second plain, in which we halted at 11.10, as I was unable to keep on my
horse, owing to an attack of fever. At 2 p.m. again proceeded, and after
crossing some rugged country with deep rocky ravines, at length reached a
large creek, at which we encamped, though there was nothing but reeds and
triodia for the horses to eat.
2nd February.
Left the camp at 6 a.m. and followed the creek up for three-quarters of
an hour before we could find a crossing place; the course was then
south-south-east over very broken sandstone country; at 9.50 halted in a
grassy valley to feed the horses, and at 2.30 p.m. resumed our route
south-east, crossed a sandstone ridge, and descended into a wide valley,
the centre of which was occupied by a basaltic plain, at the edge of
which we encamped at 3.55 p.m.