nding the tracks, we
returned to camp and reached it at 1.15. At camp we learned that the
horses were only mustered a few minutes before our arrival. In my ride
with Jackey down the creek I saw the recent tracks of a cow or steer
(probably made by the beast that had been on the Flinders River). I would
have tried to have found the beast with a view of killing it for the
benefit of our party, but from seeing the dray-tracks near the camp I
thought this was unnecessary as I was convinced we were near a station.
Before leaving the subject of the beast I may mention that it may have
been taken from the Darling to one of the stations on the head of the
Burdekin and, having strayed from there to the Flinders River, was now on
its way back. Started from camp at 1.45 p.m. When we had come a mile we
crossed a creek flowing to the northward. On both sides of the creek
there are stony ranges grassed with triodia and wooded with ironbark.
After leaving the creek we crossed the ridges and came on land with a
good deal of rich soil and wooded with belts of myall, Port Curtis
sandalwood, and western-wood acacia. About these scrubs the grass is very
good and there is a luxuriant undergrowth of saltbush and salt herbs.
When we had come four miles from camp we sighted to the south-west a
small isolated hill and went towards it. When we had crossed about three
and a half miles over country like what I have just described we reached
the isolated hill and Mr. Bourne and I ascended it. It is surrounded by
rich, well-grassed, high downs, wooded at places with small belts of
myall. The shape of the hill is like an artificial mound with the ruins
of a tower on its summit. It is so like a hill I saw when I was last on
Bowen Downs that I almost fancied it the same. The hills in this
neighbourhood however do not correspond with those in my chart. About
four and a half miles to the north-north-west we observed two
table-topped hills, and in the distance to the south-south-east a hill
which may be the Simon Pure Tower-hill. From the hill we came east half
north two and a half miles and encamped.

March 28.

We started this morning at 8.55. When we had come about sixteen miles we
reached Tower-hill. On its summit I found a small tree that I remembered
Mr. N. Buchanan had marked L when on my first expedition to this part of
the country. Almost half the way to Tower-hill was wooded with myall and
western-wood acacia. In the middle of that wooded count