th. Latitude, 12 degrees 13 minutes 30 seconds.

Friday, 25th July, Charles Creek, Van Diemen Gulf. I have sent Thring to
the south-west to see if he can get round the marsh. If it is firm ground
I shall endeavour to make the mouth of the river by that way. After a
long search he has returned and informs me that it is impracticable,
being too boggy for the horses. As the great object of the expedition is
now attained, and the mouth of the river already well known, I do not
think it advisable to waste the strength of my horses in forcing them
through, neither do I see what object I should gain by doing so; they
have still a very long and fatiguing journey in recrossing the continent
to Adelaide, and my health is so bad that I am unable to bear a long
day's ride. I shall, therefore, cross this creek and see if I can get
along by the sea-beach or close to it. Started and had great difficulty
in getting the horses over, although we cut a large quantity of grass,
putting it on the banks and on logs of wood which were put into it. We
had a number bogged, and I was nearly losing one of my best horses, and
was obliged to have him pulled out with ropes; after the loss of some
time we succeeded in getting them all over safely. Proceeded on a
west-north-west course over a firm ground of black alluvial soil. At two
miles came upon an open part of the beach, went on to it, and again found
the mud quite impassable for horses; in the last mile we have had some
rather soft ground. Stopped the party, as this travelling is too much for
the horses, and, taking Thring with me, rode two miles to see if the
ground was any firmer in places; found it very soft where the salt water
had covered it, in others not so bad. Judging from the number of shells
banked up in different places, the sea must occasionally come over this.
I saw at once that this would not do for the weak state in which my
horses were, and I therefore returned to where I had left the party,
resolving to recross the continent to the City of Adelaide. I now had an
open place cleared, and selecting one of the tallest trees, stripped it
of its lower branches, and on its highest branch fixed my flag, the Union
Jack, with my name sewn in the centre of it. When this was completed, the
party gave three cheers, and Mr. Kekwick then addressed me,
congratulating me on having completed this great and important
undertaking, to which I replied. Mr. Waterhouse also spoke a few words on
the sa