10th July.
Accompanied by Mr. Elsey, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the
south-east, and at 7.45 a.m. steered 130 degrees, gradually ascending the
tableland, and which was openly wooded with bloodwood, box, and
white-gum; acacia and sterculia occasionally appearing. The soil was
brown sandy loam with a few ridges of sandstone rock of white colour;
grass had been abundant, but was now burnt off. The small white-ant nests
from two to five feet high were very numerous; at 12.40 p.m. a slight
depression in the country was observed, and limestone appeared, and deep
hollows were frequent. One of these hollows which I examined was thirty
yards in diameter and fifteen feet deep; in the centre was a deep cleft
of fifteen feet more, which extended to the east and west under the
surface with a width of three feet; at 3.0 struck a small creek trending
east-north-east with a few small pools of water in the channel; in
following down the creek in search of a sufficient supply of water for
the horses, we passed some blacks sitting at a fire near the creek; at
3.30 came to a pool sufficient for the supply of the whole party, below
which the channel was dry; returning to the pool we met the blacks
following our tracks, but, observing us, they ran away, and on being
followed hid themselves; having unsaddled, we commenced our dinner and
soon saw the blacks watching us from their hiding places, and after some
time spent in making signs, they were induced to approach, the oldest of
the party feigning to weep bitterly till they got close to us, when we
commenced an attempt at conversation, and they appeared to recognise some
few words of the language of the Victoria River. Their spears were formed
of reeds with large heads of white sandstone, and also with three wooden
points for fishing. They were circumcised and had their front teeth
remaining; at 5.0 steered to the west-north-west for one hour, and
bivouacked to secure ourselves from an attack during the night.
11th July.
At 6.30 a.m., resumed our route towards the camp, and reached it about
1.0 p.m., without observing anything of farther remark.
Latitude by a2 Centauri 15 degrees 2 minutes 49 seconds.