and I having left our party and come about half a mile
south, I made the following observation, namely: meridian altitude 72
degrees 33 seconds; latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes. Started after party
at 12.20. At 1.27 came east half north for two and a half miles over rich
undulating land to a watercourse. These downs are so sparse of trees that
a small belt of brushwood on the top of an eminence was a remarkable
feature. It is situated about a mile this side of the spot from which I
made my observation; at 3.20, when we had come up the creek on an average
south-east and by east direction for five and a half miles, we encamped.
The country we have seen today has decidedly undulating features and a
rich soil. Some of the flats were covered with roley-poley but the rest
of the country was grassed. Distance today eighteen and three-quarter
miles.

March 13. Camp 24, situated on the left bank of a broad shallow
watercourse named by me O'Connell Creek.

Started this morning at 7.35. When we had ridden up the creek about four
miles we found the tracks of the beast that Mr. Bourne tracked
south-easterly from the 23rd camp. After coming backwards and forwards
for some time we crossed O'Connell Creek, then came about three and a
half miles to the left bank of the Flinders River and abandoned the
tracks of the beast as they were going down the river. We followed up the
river for about four and a half miles. The first part of that distance it
was confined by stony ridges, wooded with acacias and other trees; in the
second part were large box flats with unwooded rising ground behind. From
our path along the rising ground we observed in the distance a number of
blacks near the river; and also observed, ahead of us to the eastward, a
long blue range which I found afterwards confined the river on its right
side. I named it Bramston Range. Afterwards we came over well-grassed
country of a similar character to that I have described last for about
five and three-quarter miles and encamped. All the country we have seen
today is well grassed with the exception of a few plains overrun with
roley-poley. I may remark also that birds, chiefly consisting of pigeons,
cockatoos, quail, and hawks, were seen in great abundance. Today we
travelled in the following courses: 7.35 south-south-east for four miles
up O'Connell's Creek; 1.35 north and by east for three and a half miles
to the river, east-south-east four and a quarter miles up the river; 3.30