had passed the camp and,
as the river is difficult to cross even at its best fords, we went to the
camp ford, which the horses knew, as we had crossed there in the morning.
Having made camp at 6.35, at dark we made one mile and three-quarters
west, slightly southerly to the hill at the gorge, on the track of the
main party. Further than that Fisherman would not follow this track in
the dark, as it went over a basaltic rocky range. This was a bad camp for
us, the grass so parched up that the horses could not get any worth
eating, and we had nothing to eat ourselves. I was stung by a reptile,
probably a scorpion. The pain it gave was sufficient to make me very
uncomfortable during the night.

Friday November 29.

At 5.40 a.m. Fisherman and I started on the track of the main party. At
6.55 we made two and a half miles south-south-west by following the river
up a gorge to opposite junction of a watercourse from the south, which I
have named the Verdon Creek. At 7.18 made three-quarters of a mile
south-west by south up gorge of the river. At 7.35 made half a mile
south-west and by west to junction of a little creek from the north. At 8
made three-quarters of a mile west to a basaltic hill on left bank. At
8.25 three-quarters of a mile in the same direction, to a point opposite
a large creek from the south, which I have named Balfour Creek.
(Respecting it see Campbell's report.) At the lower end of a gap in the
basaltic wall, on the left side, there is a round-topped hill, just above
the junction of the creek. At 8.35 we made half a mile west-north-west to
the junction of a small creek from the north. At 9.4 made a mile west and
by north. At 9.13 a quarter of a mile to junction of a watercourse from
the north, which I have named Haines Creek. At 9.24 a quarter of a mile
north-west up this creek to Number 12 Camp. During the remainder of the
day we all remained in encampment except Mr. Campbell and Jemmy who went
and examined Balfour Creek, having been asked by me to do so. Mr.
Campbell gave me afterwards the following report of his survey;

I proceeded, accompanied by Jemmy to the Gregory River, and though I
endeavoured at several points to effect a crossing, we had to follow the
stream about four miles before an eligible place could be found. Here the
bottom is hard and stony, with about three feet of water running at a
rapid rate. Opposite this point I marked a gumtree with + before broad
arrow before L. I then proceeded