7th February.
At 6.30 resumed our journey to the south-south-west, and reached the head
of the creek at 8.0 a.m. Ascending the tableland by an abrupt slope of
100 feet, our course was south one mile, when the southern slope was
reached, and a large shallow valley extended across our course, beyond
which a vast and slightly undulating plain extended to the horizon with
scarcely a rising ground to relieve its extreme monotony. Descending by a
very gentle slope into the valley, at 9.40 a.m. crossed a small
watercourse trending south-east, and then passed through a plain densely
covered with kangaroo-grass seven to nine feet high, and at 10.40 a.m.
encountered the level sandy country beyond, which was covered with
triodia and small acacia and gum trees, or rather bushes. Seeing little
prospects of either water or grass to the southward, turned east to the
creek, at which we encamped at 12.30 p.m. The bed of the creek was dry,
except a few shallow pools of rainwater, and there had been so little
rain this season that no water had flowed down the channel. A level
grassy flat extended nearly a mile on each side of the creek, which
indicated the extent of occasional inundations, beyond which the country
was very sandy and covered with small gum-trees, acacia, and triodia.
Latitude by Pollux 18 degrees 3 seconds.
8th February.
The country to the south being so level and barren that we could not
expect to find either water or grass in that direction, at 6.0 a.m.
steered north 110 degrees east along the course of the creek, which
turned somewhat to the north of our track for a few miles; but at 8.0
again came on its banks. The country was very barren and sandy, with
small trees of silver-leafed ironbark and triodia, except on the
inundated flats of the creek, which were well grassed and thinly wooded
with box-trees. The course of the creek was now nearly south-east, but
the channel decreased in size, and was quite dry till 10.0 a.m., when we
reached a fine pool which had been filled by a tributary gully. Here we
halted and shot several ducks. At 2.45 p.m. resumed our route, and at
3.20 came to a level grassy flat, on which the channel of the creek was
completely lost. Crossing the flat to the east, the country was quite
level and sandy; therefore turned to the north, where there seemed to be
a slight depression, and at 4.50 came to a shallow pool of rainwater, at
which we encamped. Frequent showers during the night.