d soon
recover. My old horses are all looking well, although they have had to
carry the heaviest loads throughout the journey. I should have been in a
sad way without them--they are my mainstay. Arrived at the Rock Camp,
River Strangways, at two o'clock without having to leave any more. I feel
a little better to-day, but the motion of the horse has been very severe
throughout the journey. The water at this camp is drying up very rapidly:
it is reduced three feet in depth since we left, and I am very much
afraid it will be all gone in Purdie Ponds--if such is the case, I shall
lose all the weak horses. Wind in strong puffs, variable.

Sunday, 17th August, Rock Camp. Resting horses. Winds light and variable.

Monday, 18th August, Rock Camp. Three of the best horses are missing this
morning--they are the three leading horses--while feeding; and I have
never known them to be away from the others before. The three
horse-keepers have returned at half-past ten, and can see nothing of
them; the ground is so hard that their tracks leave but little
impression, so that they might have passed them unseen. Mounted Thring
and King on fresh horses to round the feeding-tracks again, and at
half-past twelve they returned with them. They happened to come upon
their tracks on a small piece of sandy ground on the opposite side of the
creek; they traced them to a large permanent water lagoon, deep and
broad, with water-lilies growing round it, and a number of ducks upon it;
it is about three quarters of a mile west-south-west from this camp. Not
seeing them there they followed their tracks for another mile, and there
found them, at which I was very glad, for they are three of my very best
horses, on which I am placing my dependence for carrying me back. I felt
very uneasy at their being away, thinking that the natives might have cut
them off during night. Saddled and proceeded to my first camp, north of
the Rocky Gorge, but was disappointed to find all the water gone, which I
did not expect. Proceeded a mile further, and found as much as will do
for a drink for the horses to-night and to-morrow morning. Camped. Light
winds, variable.

Tuesday, 19th August, First Camp North of Rocky Gorge. Started at eight
o'clock, proceeding to the Rocky Gorge, and camped. This water has shrunk
considerably since we left it, and I have now little hopes of there being
any water in Purdie Ponds. If there is not I shall require to push
through to Daly Waters