on. At
seven miles we found ourselves in an open forest country, where the
feed was good, but not equal to what we had passed, neither had it
been visited by yesterday's rain. We soon emerged again on open
plains, but the soil being of a more clayish nature, they were not
nearly so much advanced in vegetation as the others. We found
surface water in several places, and at one spot disturbed a fine
bustard which was feeding in the long grass; we did not see him
until he flew up. I should have mentioned that one flew over our
camp last evening in a northerly direction; this speaks well for
the country and climate. At noon we came to a large creek the
course of which was from east-north-east to west-south-west; the
sight of the white gum trees in the distance had raised hopes,
which were not at all damped on a close inspection of the channel.
At the point where we struck it there was certainly no great
quantity of water; the bed was broad and sandy, but its whole
appearance was that of an important watercourse, and the large gums
which line its banks, together with the improved appearance of the
soil, and the abundance of feed in the vicinity, satisfied us as to
the permanency of the water and the value of the discovery.
Although it was so early in the day, and we were anxious to make a
good march, yet we camped here, as it seemed to be almost a sin to
leave such good quarters. The bed of the creek is loose sand,
through which the water freely permeates; it is, however,
sufficiently coarse not to be boggy, and animals can approach the
water without any difficulty.

Thursday, 10th January, 1861.--At twenty minutes past five A.M., we
left our camp with a full supply of water, determined to risk no
reverses, and to make a good march. I should mention that last
evening we had been nearly deafened by the noise of the cicadariae,
and but for our large fires should have been kept awake all night
by the mosquitoes. A walk of two miles across a well grassed plain
brought us to a belt of timber, and we soon afterwards found
ourselves pulled up by a large creek in which the water was broad
and deep; we had to follow up the bank of the creek in a
north-easterly direction for nearly a mile before we could cross,
when to our joy we found that it was flowing; not a muddy stream
from the effects of recent floods, but a small rivulet of pure
water as clear as crystal. The bed of the river at this place is
deep and rather narrow; the wat