24th July.
Resuming our route at 7.20 a.m., steered south-east and ascended a
sandstone range with horizontal strata and very abrupt on the south-east
side. Entering a wide valley, crossed two small watercourses, the second
of which was running apparently from springs, as several clumps of the
melaleuca grew on the slope of the sandstone hills from which they came.
Crossing a second spur of the tableland, descended to a small creek with
waterholes and narrow grassy flats, the general character of the country
being very poor and scrubby.
Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 38
minutes 56 seconds.
25th July.
At 7.40 a.m. left the camp, and steered south-east through a succession
of miserable scrubs of eucalypti, grevillia, acacia, and jacksonia, with
patches of melaleuca. At 1.30 p.m. crossed a ridge of steep sandstone
rocks, and gradually descended till 2.55, when we camped on a small gully
coming from the south, and in which a little water remained, and on the
bank some dry grass of very inferior kind. Since leaving the Roper River
the general character of the country has been worthless; the small size
of the watercourses indicating an arid country to the south-west of our
route. Few traces of blacks have been seen, though vast columns of smoke
rise to the east and south-east; animals or birds are rarely seen. The
rocky nature of the country has caused the horses' shoes to wear out
rapidly, and the day seldom passes without having to replace the shoes of
several of the horses.
Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 40
minutes 19 seconds.
26th July.
At 8.0 a.m. steered south-east, soon entering a scrub of acacia,
melaleuca, and grevillia, with a few eucalypti; the soil sandy, with a
few blocks of gray sandstone; some small dry watercourses trended to the
north. At noon crossed a large creek trending to the south-south-east
through a very rocky valley, and the whole country was very barren and
rocky. At 2.35 p.m. recrossed the creek, which here turned to the east
and north-east. After following it down for an hour, found a small patch
of grass, and encamped. The bed of the creek was very rocky and well
supplied with water in shallow pools.
Latitude by a Coronae Borealis and a Trianguli Australis 15 degrees 50
minutes 2 seconds.