5th February.
Started at 5.55 a.m., and steered south-west, keeping parallel to the
river at about a mile from it, as the creeks cut so deeply into the rock
near the river that they are impassable; at 9.20 a.m. crossed to the
right bank of the river, and continued a south-west course, but found the
country exceedingly rough and rocky, and therefore turned to the
north-west to the river, and at 11.30 a.m. camped at a fine pool of
water. In the afternoon we were visited by a sudden thunder-squall;
fortunately the tents had not been set up, or they must have been blown
to pieces. The valley of the river has contracted to about fifteen miles,
and turns to the west, but a branch seems to come from the south, and a
second from the north-west. The country is, however, nearly level, and it
is difficult to ascertain the limits of the valley, as many portions of
the original tableland exist as detached hills and ridges. Though the
horses are well shod, they are becoming lame and footsore from
continually travelling over rough and stony country, as more than half of
the last 100 miles has been so completely covered with fragments of rock
that the soil, if any exists, has been wholly concealed.
6th February.
Leaving the camp at 6.20 a.m., steered south up the valley of a large
creek. At first the ground was very rough and rocky, but as we proceeded
it became more level and sandy--the bed of the creek being worn in the
basalt, and the hills of sandstone conglomerate rising 100 to 200 feet.
Except on the bank of the creek, there was no grass, the hills being
covered with triodia. Encamped in a grassy flat at 11.30 a.m.
Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 48 seconds.