6th July.
The small size of the creek affording little prospect of water nearer to
its source, and as Mr. H. Gregory was suffering from a severe attack of
fever, which rendered travelling unadvisable, I proceeded with Charles
Dean to examine the country to the east-south-east. Leaving the camp at
7.0 a.m., steered 120 degrees magnetic; at eight crossed a sandstone
ridge covered with acacia scrub, and again descended into the valley of
the creek, passing some fine grassy plains, and at 11.0 ascended the
level tableland, the edge of which was covered with acacia scrub, beyond
which we passed a level flat acacia scrub and small trees, and at noon
entered a stringybark forest with occasional patches of bloodwood,
leguminous ironbark, and sterculia. The soil varied from a brown loam to
ironstone gravel, and in a few spots ferruginous conglomerate was
visible. On the loamy soil the grass was good and abundant, but the
gravel was covered with spiny treraphis. This tableland was so level that
no declivity could be detected during the continuance of our day's
journey, which lasted till 5.30, when we bivouacked without water; by
taking the precaution of letting the horses feed on the outward track,
and secreting ourselves after dark in the high grass, we passed the night
without the necessity of keeping watch after midnight.
7th July.
Our horses having strayed back on the track, we carried our saddles and
tracked them about two miles, and then mounting our horses steered north
for some miles; but all was level forest without any sign of the
existence of water, except a few cockatoos. I then turned to the
south-west; crossing the outward track, and at length came on a shallow
watercourse trending west, a ridge of rocks having confined the channel
to a narrow space; three small waterholes were discovered in which a
little water remained; below this the creek turned south-south-east, and
I again turned towards the camp; but night overtaking us in the
stringybark forest, we passed to the south of the camp without observing
its position.
8th July.
Having ascertained that we had passed the position of the camp, turned to
the north-east and reached the camp at 11.20. Mr. H. Gregory was somewhat
recovered, but very weak from a violent attack of fever. During my
absence a small party of blacks had visited the camp and had bivouacked a
short distance up the creek.
9th July.
Moved the camp to the waterholes twelve miles south-east, and in the
afternoon rode down the creek with Mr. Elsey; the creek turned to the
south-south-east for a mile and a half, and was lost on a level flat,
from which a channel trended to the west, which was again lost in a level
flat extending to the west several miles. Heavy showers at night.