e so plentiful, we should have seen none since we left
King's Creek. I observed that the natives here climb trees as those
on the Murray do, in search of some animal corresponding in habits
to the opossum, which they get out of the hollow branches in a
similar manner. I have not yet been able to ascertain what the
animal is.

Sunday, 13th January, 1861.--We did not leave camp this morning
until half-past seven, having delayed for the purpose of getting
the camels' shoes on--a matter in which we were eminently
unsuccessful. We took our breakfast before starting, for almost the
first time since leaving the depot. Having crossed the creek, our
course was due north as before, until, at about six miles, we came
in sight of the range ahead, when we took a north-half-east
direction for the purpose of clearing the eastern front of it. We
found the ground more sandy than what we had before crossed, and a
great deal of it even more richly grassed. Camp 93 is situate at
the junction of three sandy creeks, in which there is abundance of
water. The sand is loose, and the water permeates freely, so that
the latter may be obtained delightfully cool and clear by sinking
anywhere in the beds of the creeks.

FIELD BOOK 6.

CAMPS 98 TO 105. LATITUDE 21 1/4 TO 20 1/4 DEGREES.

(Upper part of Cloncurry.)

Saturday, 19th January, 1861.--Started from Camp 98 at 5.30 A.M.,
and passing to the north-west of Mount Forbes, across a fine and
well-grassed plain, kept at first a north-by-east direction. At a
distance of three miles, the plain became everywhere stony, being
scattered over with quartz pebbles; and a little further on we came
to low quartz ranges, the higher portions of which are covered with
porcupine grass, but the valleys are well clothed with a variety of
coarse and rank herbage. At about five miles we crossed a creek
with a sandy bed, which has been named Green's Creek; there were
blacks not far above where we crossed, but we did not disturb them.
After crossing the creek, we took a due north course over very
rugged quartz ranges of an auriferous character. Pieces of iron
ore, very rich, were scattered in great numbers over some of the
hills. On our being about to cross one of the branch creeks in the
low range, we surprised some blacks--a man who, with a young fellow
apparently his son, was upon a tree, cutting out something; and a
lubra with a piccaninny. The two former did not see me until I was
nearly close to them, and