iful little
A. CONFERTA, remarkable for its little heath-like leaves, and among the
grasses was remarked an abundance of a new annual SPOROBOLUS with
extremely minute flowers.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 18 deg.; at noon, 64 deg.;
at 4 P.M., 64 deg.; at 9, 30 deg..

[* S. PALLIDUS (Lindl. MS.) foliis planis glabris ligula nulla nisi
squamula quadam, panicula effusa ramis brevibus alternis verticillatisque
scabriusculis, paleis truncatis altera 3-nervi altera binervi.]

2D JUNE.--Two half-boats were mounted on frames, and fixed over two of
the light carts, and other preparations made for the prosecution of the
journey with a small party. My plan was to reduce each man's ration of
flower from 7lbs. to 4lbs. per week: to allow a larger quantity of
mutton: some gelatine and barley, dried potatoes, etc. With my party, I
now proposed to take forward a portion of the sheep, as not requiring
carriage, and Mr. Stephenson, a man to assist him, and the shepherd,
formed the only addition to the number with which I had advanced to this
point. Mr. Kennedy had brought me a dispatch from Commissioner Mitchell,
accompanied by some newspapers, in which I read such passages as the
following:--"Australia Felix and the discoveries of Sir Thomas Mitchell
now dwindle into comparative insignificance." "We understand the intrepid
Dr. Leichardt is about to start another expedition to the Gulf, keeping
to the westward of the coast ranges," etc., etc. Not very encouraging to
us, certainly; but we work for the future. Thermometer, at sunrise, 11 deg.;
at noon, 67 deg.; at 4 P.M., 67 deg.; at 9, 30 deg..

3D JUNE.--This day one of the party caught several fishes in the river,
which appeared to be of the same species as the Eelfish, or Plotosus
tandanus described in the journal of my first journey (Vol. i. p. 95). It
is therein stated to be an Asiatic form of fish, on the authority of Mr.
Wm. M'Leay, but in other respects this was identical with one in the
Barwan. The course downwards of the new river, which we even now believed
to be called the Maran, from what we had gathered from the natives, was
thus almost proved to be towards the southern rivers. I instructed Mr.
Kennedy to employ the party in digging, and fencing in, and daily
watering, a garden; also, to make a stockyard wherein to lodge the cattle
at night, as this would leave more men disposable for the immediate
protection, if necessary, of the camp and stores. I also gave him very
parti