I
changed to north; and at ten miles on that course, still seeing nothing
of them, I changed to east; at one mile came upon them, found water, and
followed them; their course now, 20 degrees; at one mile found another
pond; in a short time, lost the bed of them in a thick wooded plain.
Found a native path running nearly in my course; followed it, thinking it
would lead me to some other water, but in a few miles it became
invisible. I continued on the same course for nine miles, and found
myself on Sturt Plains, with belts of thick wood and scrub; to the north,
nothing visible but open plains; to north-east, apparently thick wood or
scrub; to north-west and west, apparently scrubby sand hills. The ponds
seem to drain this portion of the plains. Changed to east, to what seemed
to be large gum-trees, thinking there might be a creek; arriving there, I
found them to be stunted gums on the edge of the plain. There is no hope
of succeeding in this quarter. Camped without water. Wind, east.
Latitude, 17 degrees 12 minutes 30 seconds.

Tuesday, 28th May, Sturt Plains, North. Fourteen of the horses missing
this morning before sunrise. From the highest tree nothing is to be seen
from east to north and north-west but immense open grassy plains, without
a tree on them; no hope of water. I must go back to the ponds and try
again to the westward. Did not find the horses until 9.30 a.m., and
started at 10. I observed very large flocks of pigeons coming in clouds
from the plains in every direction towards the ponds. Some time
afterwards we saw them coming back and flying away into the plains as far
as the eye can reach, apparently to feed. Arrived at the water at 1.30
p.m. Wind, east-north-east.

Wednesday, 29th May, Chain of Ponds. Started at 7.20 a.m. with Thring,
Woodforde, and Wall, and nine horses, to follow a native track, which is
leading to the westward. At 9.20 made the track; its course,
west-north-west. At twenty-eight miles camped without water. The track
led us into very thick wood and scrub, and at five miles became
invisible. I still continued on the same bearing through the scrub. We
have again met with the mulga--a little different from what we have seen
before, growing very straight, from thirty to forty feet high, the bark
stringy, the leaf much larger and thicker. Amongst it is the hedge-tree.
We had seven miles of it very dense, when we again met with an open
plain. At three miles entered another dense wood and sc