17th March.
We were again delayed by trifling circumstances, and did not leave the
camp until 7.40 a.m., but having nearly cleared the desert the weather
was comparatively cool. Steering an average course north-east, traversed
the wide grassy plains on the right bank of Sturt's Creek, to which the
name of Denison's Plains was given. At 2.0 p.m. camped at a small pool in
the polygonum flat, which was all that remained of the water which had
covered the flat to the extent of three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
and was running when we passed down last month. Our course this day
showed the great extent of the grassy plains to the north-west, as we did
not see the limit at any point in that direction. Cool breeze from east
with thin clouds all day.
18th March.
Left the camp at daylight and proceeded to Camp 40 on the outward route,
and halted for the remainder of the day to rest the horses, as a heavy
stage lay before us across the dry country. Large flocks of cockatoos
came to the pool at this camp, and we shot thirty-three, which was a very
welcome addition to our provisions. Strong easterly wind; passing clouds.
19th March.
Steered north 60 degrees east at 6.35 a.m., and followed up the course of
the creek, crossing the right bank at 9.0, when there was nothing but the
polygonum flat to mark its course; at 10.30 altered the course to nearly
east, passing a large sheet of brackish water, which appeared deep and
permanent at the lower end, but shallow at the upper part; at 11.20
encamped at a small pool of fresh water in a back channel, the creek
being brackish, and we were anxious to procure a supply of good water
before proceeding further, as the next three stages of the outward track
were now destitute of water. Strong easterly breeze; light clouds.
20th March.
At 5.55 am steered 110 degrees; at 6.20 struck a small creek with steep
banks; altered the course to 90 degrees, crossing two small watercourses
from the north with a little water in the deeper portions of their beds,
the general character of the country box flats and open grassy plains
near the creek. At 7.25 entered a large grassy plain extending north and
east for ten miles, and at 9.15 halted at a small watercourse which
retained a little water in a grassy hollow, our object in halting thus
early being to enable us to start fresh in the afternoon, and, should the
country continue open, to push on through the night, by which the water
could be reached before the heat of the sun was too great for travelling.
At 3.5 resumed our march and traversed level grassy plains extending one
to five miles on each side of our route; at 7.0 observed a native fire
about two miles to the north, from which we concluded that water existed
at no great distance, and at 7.15 were fortunate in finding a pool of
rainwater in a slight depression of the plain, and encamped. We could not
find sufficient wood near the camp to boil our tea, but were satisfied
with the discovery of a sufficient supply of water.
21st March.
We were again in the saddle at 5.15 a.m., and continuing our course north
73 degrees east, reached the limit of the open plain, which turned to the
south-east and extended to the horizon; at 6.40 entered the wooded
country which bounded the plain, and the soil changed from a rich
clay-loam to sandy and gravelly soil with fragments of sandstone, the
vegetation consisting of small white-gum trees, shrubby acacia, and
triodia, with a few patches of grass. The country gradually rose till
9.25, when we came to an abrupt descent into the valley of Sturt's Creek,
but the country did not improve in character till 10.20, when we came to
the grassy flats; at 10.50 camped at a large open pool of water in the
bed of the creek. On the pools there were large flights of whistling
ducks, but so wild that they could not be approached within range of our
guns. Moderate breeze from east with light clouds from south-east during
the day. The weather has for the past ten days been so misty that I have
not been able to get a good set of lunar distances, and it is useless to
observe unless under circumstances favourable for accuracy.
22nd March.
5.35 a.m. found us again travelling up the creek on a northerly course;
at 7.20 changed the course north-east by north, and at 11.30 camped about
a mile below Camp 35. The hill at the bend of the creek proved to be
basaltic, with a stratum of ironstone conglomerate resting on it. The
pools of water in the bed of the creek were much reduced and all the
smaller ones dried up.
23rd March (Sunday).
The feed and water not being in sufficient quantity to permit of our
resting at this camp, we followed up the creek nearly on the outward
course. A few miles above the creek a party of blacks came out of the
creek and commenced a distant parley, but on one of the party approaching
them they picked up their spears they had secreted in the grass and ran
away into the bed of the creek. After six and a half hours' journey
camped at the lower end of the pool, where we had halted on the 15th
February; near the northern bend of the creek we passed a fine deep pool,
which appears to retain water through the dry season. All the smaller
pools had dried up, and the larger ones had sunk two feet since we were
here in February.
24th March.
As the horses had not had a day's rest for some time past, we remained at
the camp to refresh them before attempting to cross the dry country which
divides the southern waters from those flowing to the north-west coast.
As the nearest water which we knew to exist was now fifty miles to the
east, and the country in that direction very bad travelling, we were now,
however, eighty miles in a direct line from the depot camp, and as that
course would take us over new and unexplored country I determined to
attempt a direct route.