ts
banks; but here, where all the country is dry enough for sheep, this will
not be a qualification. Following it will be an unpleasant exchange to
the Gregory River with its beautiful stream of water, which I daresay
comes from well-watered highlands. At present the plains are dry and
parched.

The water at our encampment was very bad, in a great measure from its
being warm, shallow, and frequented by ducks and other birds. This is the
hottest day we have had. At first we thought we were going to have a
miserable camp, from the badness of the water; but in the afternoon a
fine cool breeze sprang up and at the water, or near it, we shot several
ducks, a large waterfowl, and some rose cockatoos; we had also as many
nice little figs as we liked to eat from a large shady clump of bushes
near the camp.

Saturday November 23. Camp Number 7, situated on Macadam Creek.

We started at 8.48 a.m. and at 9.23 had made two and a quarter miles in a
south-west by south direction. At 9.40 we made one mile further in the
same direction; from thence we went in a south line for one mile and a
quarter, and reached, at 10.10, at the end of that distance, a very fine
waterhole, 300 yards long and forty yards wide, very deep, with basaltic
dykes at both ends. I thought they were like white limestone. Here we
watered the horses. Started again at 10.55. At 11.55 made south along the
bed of the creek three-quarters of a mile. At 11.40 made a mile
south-west by south, where we stopped to adjust a pack, and started again
at 11.45. At 11.58 we reached in half a mile south-west by south a
waterhole in the Macadam Creek, near which there are a great many rocks
like white limestone. At this water we made another stop, and started at
12.20 p.m. At 1.3 made one mile and three-quarters south-south-west,
where we sighted the first hills we have seen since leaving the depot. We
went on the plain a quarter of a mile south-west by south to get
observations of the hills. They appeared to be twenty or thirty miles
distant. Started again at 1.37, with Fisherman, following the rest of the
party, who had gone on; and at 1.58 made three-quarters of a mile
south-west by west. At 2.6 a quarter of a mile south to a dry creek,
which we crossed. 2.40 we reached Macadam Creek in one mile and a half in
a south by east direction, where we overtook our companions. At 3 we went
in search of water up Macadam Creek three-quarters of a mile south. We
stopped to have a drin