the Victoria, and am unwillingly forced to
return, my horses being nearly worn out. Wind, variable. Distance,
twenty-five miles.

Monday, 8th July, Small Grass Plain in Scrub. Started at break of day and
continued until 4.30 p.m. Meeting with a little grass, camped; some of
the horses unable to go further. Wind, south.

Tuesday, 9th July, Sandy Table Land. Started at sunrise and arrived at
Burke Creek. At 11 a.m. turned the horses out to feed for two hours, and
proceeded up the creek to where I first struck it. Camped. At a little
more than a mile down the creek from here, there is a course of concrete
ironstone running across it, which forms a large pond of water nearly a
mile in length, apparently deep and permanent. Wind, west.

Wednesday, 10th July, Burke Creek. Shortly after sunrise proceeded toward
the main camp, and arrived there at 3 p.m. Found all well. The natives
have been about. They attacked Wall while in search of the missing horse;
he and his horse narrowly escaped being hit by their boomerangs. The
missing horse cannot be found. I suppose that he has crept into some
bushes and died; for, the night before he was missed, he left the other
horses and came to the camp fire; he appeared to be very stupid, and for
some time they could not get him away; when they did so, he went off
reeling. Wind, south-west.

Thursday, 11th July, Tomkinson Creek. Shoeing horses, and repairing
saddles and bags to carry our provisions back. We have now run out of
everything for that purpose, and are obliged to make all sorts of shifts.
The two tarpaulins that I brought from Mr. Chambers's station for mending
the bags, are all used up some time ago, and nearly all the spare bags;
the sewing-twine has been used long since, and we are obliged to make
some from old bags. We are all nearly naked, the scrub has been so severe
on our clothes; one can scarcely tell the original colour of a single
garment, everything is so patched. Our boots are also gone. It is with
great reluctance that I am forced to return without a further trial. I
should like to go back, and try from Newcastle Water, but my provisions
will not allow me. I started with thirty weeks' supply at seven pounds of
flour per week, and have now been out twenty-six, and it will take me ten
weeks before I can reach the first station. The men are also failing, and
showing the effects of short rations. I only wish I had sufficient to
carry me over until the rain will fall i