28th March.
At 5.10 a.m. resumed our course north 60 degrees east through a grassy
forest of ironbark and bloodwood, with patches of small acacia and
triodia. At 7.45 entered a series of open plains covered with high grass.
The plains continued till 10.0, when we passed through an open gum
forest, and the country declined to the east, and at 11.15 came on a
small watercourse, which was dry and sandy. This we followed down to the
north-east till 11.40, when it passed through a rocky gorge in a
sandstone ridge, which rose at an angle of 30 degrees to the south-west
and 40 degrees to the north-east, the latter being the dip of the strata.
In this rocky gorge we could see some pools of water, but they were quite
inaccessible from that side of the ridge, and we had to make a
considerable detour to the south before we could descend to the plain
below, and found a fine pool of water at the termination of the gorge, at
which we halted and watered our thirsty horses. As we were now only two
hours' ride from the depot camp, we after a short rest started again at
3.10 p.m., and at 5.15 reached the depot camp, where we were welcomed by
Mr. Baines and his party, and I was glad to find them all enjoying good
health, and that the horses were in excellent condition. They had been,
however, somewhat annoyed by the blacks, who had made frequent attempts
to burn the camp, and also the horses, by setting fire to the grass, and
on some occasions had come to actual hostilities, though by judicious
management none of the party had been injured; nor was it certain that
any of the blacks had been wounded, though it had been necessary to
resort to the use of firearms in self-defence and for the protection of
the horses.
29th March.
Returned our surplus provisions into store, when we found that the pieces
of pork, originally four pounds weight each, were reduced to one-fifth of
the original weight, as the long continuance of heat had melted the whole
of the fat. Our ration had therefore been one pound flour, one-fifth
pound salt pork, and two ounces sugar per diem. Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman
rode out to round in the horses.
Latitude by Regulus and e Argus 17 degrees 2 minutes.
30th March (Sunday).
Read prayers to those of the party who were in camp, some of the men
having been sent out to attend to the horses. Mr. Baines having handed me
his journal, I regret to find that he has been compelled to make an entry
regarding Mr. Flood, who had refused to attend to his order to carry arms
while on watch at night on the 18th March. I therefore called on Mr.
Flood for any statement he had to make in extenuation of his conduct. His
replies were, however, extremely unsatisfactory, and only attempted to
excuse the act on account of some private misunderstanding with Mr.
Baines some months previous, and that the order to wear his pistol was
given before he had time to put on his clothes. There had, however, been
a distinct refusal to obey the orders of the officer in charge of the
party, and those orders were neither vexatious or unreasonable, as they
were simply in enforcement of well-established regulations. I therefore
cautioned Mr. Flood that unless his future conduct was more satisfactory
than it had hitherto been I should remove his name from the list of
officers taking command in the Expedition, according to the general
orders of the 27th August, 1855. The weather continues cloudy and calm,
and, though the temperature is not extreme, it is very oppressive.
31st March.
Examining and packing stores in readiness for the exploration of the
valley of the Victoria to the east of the depot. Found the stores in good
condition, though the bags had been much injured by the rats and white
ants. Although in some respects it would be more convenient to move the
party at once to the bank of the Victoria before examining the country
beyond, yet as the horses were now accustomed to the run near the depot,
and the huts and stockyard rendered the station a more safe and
convenient spot than any we could elsewhere select, I therefore decided
on leaving the party here until I had explored the country to the east,
and then move the whole party down the right bank of the river, by which
the number and magnitude of the tributaries from the east would be
ascertained, as this was an important point with reference to the
contemplated journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
1st April.
Preparing equipment for a light party to explore the country to the east
of the camp; shod six horses, and packed eighteen days' provisions for
four persons. The weather continues cloudy, with light variable winds.