k with it. There were only two or three gins
and children, and they directed me on, as if to their camp, in the
direction I was before going; but I had not gone far over the first
sandhill when I was overtaken by about twenty blacks, bent on
taking me back to their camp, and promising any quantity of nardoo
and fish. On my going with them, one carried the shovel, and
another insisted on taking my swag in such a friendly manner that I
could not refuse them. They were greatly amused with the various
little things I had with me. In the evening they supplied me with
abundance of nardoo and fish, and one of the old men, Poko
Tinnamira, shared his gunyah with me. . .The night was very cold,
but by the help of several fires--[The entry suddenly stops here;
but in the margin of the opposite page is written the names of
several natives, and certain native words with their meanings in
English.]

Tuesday, 28th May, 1861:--Left the blacks' camp, and proceeded up
the creek; obtained some mussels near where Landa died, and halted
for breakfast. Still feel very unwell from the effects of
constipation of the bowels. After breakfast travelled on to our
third camp coming down.

Wednesday, 29th.--Started at seven A.M. and went on to the
duck-holes, where we breakfasted coming down. Halted there at 9.30
A.M. for a feed, and then moved on. At the stones saw a lot of
crows quarrelling about something near the water; found it to be a
large fish, of which they had eaten a considerable portion. As it
was quite fresh and good, I decided the quarrel by taking it with
me. . .It proved a most valuable addition to my otherwise scanty
supper of nardoo porridge. This evening I camped very comfortably
in a mia-mia, about eleven miles from the depot. The night was very
cold, although not entirely cloudless. A brisk easterly breeze
sprang up in the morning, and blew freshly all day. In the evening
the sky clouded in, and there were one or two slight showers, but
nothing to wet the ground.

Thursday, 30th May, 1861.--Reached the depot this morning at eleven
A.M.; no traces of any one except blacks having been here since we
left. Deposited some journals and a notice of our present
condition. Started back in the afternoon, and camped at the first
waterhole. Last night, being cloudy, was unusually warm and
pleasant.

[Footnote: The notice left in the cache ran as follows:--

Depot Camp, May 30th.

We have been unable to leave the creek. Both camels