r both up
and down, but could find none, nor any appearance of it. Still keeping my
east course, we then passed through a very thick mulga scrub, and at ten
miles struck a low range of hills, composed of quartz, with a conical
peak, which I ascended. The prospect from this is very extensive, but
disheartening, apparently the same sort of scrubby country that I have
endeavoured to break through to the north-west. The view to the north is
dismal; there are a few isolated hills, seemingly the termination of John
range, and of the same formation as this that I am now on. To
east-south-east there appears to be a creek, to which I shall now go. At
three miles I reached what I had supposed to be a creek, but it is a
small narrow gum flat which receives the drainage from this low range. We
found a hole where there had been water, but it was all gone. I have
named the peak Mount Rennie, after Major Rennie of the Indian army. In
this small flat we shot a new macaw, which I shall carry with me, and
preserve the skin, if we get to water to-night. The front part of the
neck and underneath the wings is of a beautiful crimson hue, the back is
of a light lead colour, the tail square, the beak smaller than a
cockatoo's, and the crest the same as a macaw's. After leaving this flat,
we passed through some scrub, and came upon another of the same
description. Here I narrowly escaped being killed. My attention being
engaged looking for water, my horse took fright at a wallaby, and rushed
into some scrub, which pulled me from the saddle, my foot and the staff
that I carry for placing my compass on catching in the stirrup-iron.
Finding that he was dragging me, he commenced kicking at a fearful rate;
he struck me on the shoulder joint, knocked my hat off, and grazed my
forehead. I soon got clear, but found the kick on my shoulder very
painful. Mounted again, and at seven miles we came upon some more low
hills with another prominent peak of a dark-red sandstone. This I have
named Mount Peake, after E.J. Peake, Esquire, of Adelaide. I now find
that the gum creek which I crossed between Central Mount Stuart and Mount
Denison runs out and forms the gum plains we have just passed. No hope of
water. I must now bear in for the centre to get it. Passed through a very
thick, nasty mulga scrub for five miles, and camped again without water
under some low stony hills. I feel the effects of my accident very much.

Monday, 14th May, Stony Hills, Mulga Scrub