ppearance. Day very hot. Wind, south-east. Latitude,
17 degrees 49 minutes.

Tuesday, 7th May, Sturt Plains. Before sunrise this morning I sent Wall
up a tree to see if any hills or rising grounds would be visible by
refraction. To the west, with a powerful telescope he can just see the
top of rising ground. As the grass is now quite dry, the horses feel the
want of water very much; many of them are looking wretched, and I hardly
think will be able to reach it. However reluctant, I must go back for the
safety of the party. At 3 p.m. arrived at the creek which Thring found
about one mile to the north of my former camp, with the loss of only one
horse; we had to leave him a short distance behind, he would not move a
step further, although during a great part of the journey he had been
carrying little or nothing. This water will last two months at least;
feed good. It is inside the first ironstone rise in Ashburton range, in a
gum creek which empties itself into the plains. This creek I have named
Hawker Creek, after James Hawker, Esquire, of her Majesty's Customs at
Port Adelaide. The day has been very hot. Wind, south-east. Latitude, 17
degrees 58 minutes.

Wednesday, 8th May, Hawker Creek, Ashburton Range. I have sent Masters
back to bring up the horse we left behind. Sturt Plains have been at one
time the bed of a large fresh-water lake; our journey of the 6th instant
was over the middle of it, and we were not at the end of it when I was
forced to return; the same rotten ground and shells continued, although
we had got amongst the eucalypti. I shall give the horses a rest to-day,
and to-morrow will take the best of them (those that I had out on my
former journey), and endeavour to cross the plain to the rising ground
seen yesterday morning; I shall take Thring and Woodforde, with seven
horses and one week's provisions. I may be fortunate enough to find some
water, but from the appearance of the country I have little hope. I
shall, however, leave nothing untried to accomplish the object of the
expedition. In the morning the horse we left behind could not be found;
sent Masters and Sullivan in search of him; in the afternoon they
returned with him looking miserable. He had wandered away beyond the
other camp.

Thursday, 9th May, Hawker Creek, Ashburton Range. Started at 7 a.m., with
Thring and Woodforde, and seven horses, following our tracks through the
rotten ground to the first eucalypti, for about twelve miles, as