not take overland accompanied Lieutenant Gascoyne, Captain
Norman having previously agreed to take them to their respective
destinations, namely: my late assistant commander, H.N. Campbell, to
Hobson's Bay, Victoria; Mr. Allison, and the aboriginal trooper, Charlie,
to Brisbane. Mr. Bourne and I accompanied them in Lieutenant Gascoyne's
boat down the river to our camp, where we bade farewell.

February 9.

Today we were busily employed preparing for our expedition.

February 10.

As there were mangrove mudflats in the neighbourhood of our camp the
mosquitoes were particularly troublesome; we hurriedly therefore made
preparations for leaving it. When we had packed up as many things as the
horses could conveniently carry the blacks paid us a visit, and we gave
them the remainder. 5.10 p.m. we started and came five and a quarter
miles upon well-grassed plains, and encamped near a fine waterhole. The
water was slightly brackish, but not so much so as to render it
undrinkable. The plains we crossed were slightly wooded. We came on the
following courses: 5.20 p.m. half a mile south-east; 5.35 p.m.
three-quarters of a mile east; 6 p.m. one mile east-south-east; 8 p.m.
three miles south. Distance five and a quarter miles.

February 11.

In consequence of having to repair packs and packsaddles we could not
manage to leave until 1.10 p.m. The three weeks' rest the horses had on
the rich pasture near the depot made a wonderful improvement in their
condition. They were so restive yesterday that several of them in
galloping and plunging did considerable damage to the packs and
packsaddles. As the tracks of Walker's party were so indistinct that I
could only see them when pointed out to me by the aborigines of our
party, I foresaw that it would be tedious if not impossible to follow
them to where Mr. Walker said he had left the tracks of Mr. Burke's
party. When we had come a short distance over fine well-grassed plains we
reached a saltwater creek, which we followed up a short distance, then
crossed it and encamped in haste, as we saw a heavy thunder-shower was
about to fall. Before leaving last camp I made an observation of the sun
and found its meridian altitude 86 degrees 3 minutes. The latitude is by
this observation 17 degrees 53 minutes. We came here on the following
courses: 1.40 south-east and by east, one and a half miles; 2.22 south
one and a half miles to saltwater creek; 2.25 north-east half a mile up
the creek; 2