ver.

We started back up the river being unable to pursue our course to the
westward from want of water. I sent Mr. Campbell and Jemmy on with the
horses, while Mr. Allison and I went out on the plain to take an
observation of the sun, which was not satisfactory from the sun being
over-shadowed; we made the latitude 20 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds; at
1.21 p.m. made three miles north by east from where we took the sun's
altitude; at 1.53 made one mile north to where we crossed a channel of
the river; at 2.35 made two miles and a quarter north by east partly on
the tracks of Campbell and party; at 2.50 made three-quarters of a mile
north-north-east to where we recrossed left bank of the river and
overtook Campbell and party. Here we delayed till 3.22 in consequence of
one of the horses being knocked up; at 3.40 made one mile north by east
to where we recrossed the right bank of the river; at 3.55 made
three-quarters of a mile and encamped. Here the grass was very abundant
and the holes full of water. This camp is about half a mile from Number
23 Camp.

Sunday December 29th. Camp 25. Situated on the Herbert River.

It was our intention to remain here for several days as the grass was
good and the horses required a rest, but I deemed it advisable to return
at once up the river because there were about one hundred blacks in the
neighbourhood of the camp, some of whom were so bold that I feared it
might be necessary to shoot some of them, or give them possession of the
ground. Two of them had passed our camp on the previous evening, and the
troopers, with my consent, presented them with glass bottles, after
receiving which they soon returned with a large mob, who remained with us
till dark. In the morning they returned and surrounded the camp. Mr.
Campbell went up to one mob and tried to make them understand by signs
that we had peaceable intentions towards them, but they from his account
seemed fully bent on having us off the ground. When he was returning to
the camp Jemmy saw one of the blacks hold his boomerang as if he intended
throwing it at Mr. Campbell, but he was probably advised by others not to
do so. I am not surprised that they were vexed, as we would not allow
them to come up to the camp, although they showed a bunch of hawk
feathers and two bottles we had given them, which they wanted us to
believe were the signs of their good intention; and it is not to be
wondered at on the other hand that we would not tru