soil, and are clothed with luxuriant vegetation.
There is an immense extent of plain, back, of the finest character
for pastoral purposes, and the country bears every appearance of
being permanently well watered. We halted on a large billibong at
noon, and were favoured during dinner by a thunderstorm, the
heavier portion of which missed us, some passing north and some
south, which was fortunate, as it would otherwise have spoiled our
baking process, a matter of some importance just now. We started
again at seven o'clock, but the effects of the heavy rain prevented
our making a good journey.

Friday, 22nd March, 1861.--Muddy Camp, 34R.--Had an early breakfast
this morning, and started before sunrise. Found that the wet swampy
ground that checked our progress last night was only a narrow
strip, and that had we gone a little further we might have made a
fine journey. The country consisted of open, well-grassed, pebbly
plains, intersected by numerous small channels, all containing
water. Abundance of fine rich portulac was just bursting into
flower along all these channels, as well as on the greater portion
of the plain. The creek that we camped on last night ran nearly
parallel with us throughout this stage. We should have crossed it,
to avoid the stony plains, but were prevented by the flood from so
doing.

Saturday, 23rd March, 1861.--Mosquito Camp, 35R.--Started at a
quarter to six and followed down the creek, which has much of the
characteristic appearance of the River Burke, where we crossed it
on our up journey. The land in the vicinity greatly improves as one
goes down, becoming less stony and better grassed. At eleven
o'clock we crossed a small tributary from the eastward, and there
was a distant range of considerable extent visible in that
direction. Halted for the afternoon in a bend where there was
tolerable feed, but the banks are everywhere more or less scrubby.

Sunday, 24th March, 1861.--Three-hour Camp, 36R.

Monday, 25th March, 1861.--Native-Dog Camp, 37R.--Started at
half-past five, looking for a good place to halt for the day. This
we found at a short distance down the creek, and immediately
discovered that it was close to Camp 89 of our up journey. Had not
expected that we were so much to the westward. After breakfast,
took some time-altitudes, and was about to go back to last camp for
some things that had been left, when I found Gray behind a tree
eating skilligolee. He explained that he was su