NOEA HIRTELLA of Miquel
was the only novelty found here. Latitude 26 deg. 6' 25" S. Thermometer, at
sunrise, 30 deg.; at noon, 75 deg.; at 4 P.M., 76 deg.; at 9, 50 deg..

7TH JUNE.--We set off at a better pace this morning, and kept it up, as
we found the ground firmer, and less broken. Several hollows with water-
courses in them, lay in our way, but presented no serious impediment. At
length, I saw some of the heads of River-Head Range, and a long ridge
appeared before us. On ascending it obliquely, following up the smooth
clay floor of a water-course, I found myself gradually entangled in a bad
scrub of brigalow and rosewood. After cutting our way through it, for a
mile and a half, I sought on the other side for any hollow leading off
water, and found one which brought us into an open forest flat with a
fine chain of ponds. The Acacia pendula appeared on its skirts; and, at
length, abundance of water, also, in the ponds. The grass was so
luxuriant near one of these, that I encamped beside it, without seeking
the river, to which these ponds seemed adjacent. Thermometer, at sunrise,
36 deg.; at 4 P.M., 85 deg.; at 9, 70 deg. (XXXII.). Height above the sea, 1309 feet.

8TH JUNE.--The country beyond this camp in a northerly direction was very
fine. The Acacia pendula, open forests, and gently undulating country
intersected by chains of ponds then dry, were its characteristics. At
length, we reached the river bank, and could travel along it to the west.
Just there, I perceived the junction of a river (perhaps the main
channel) from the N. N. W. It seemed full of water, whereas that which I
was obliged to follow, being the most westerly, was nearly dry, although
its banks were boldly broken, and precipitous. Its course came round even
from S. W., and deep ravines and water-courses coming into it, obliged me
to travel to the southward of that bearing in order to avoid them. We
thus, at length, came into a fine open grassy country, tolerably level,
and could resume a north-west course. In that direction, we crossed a
water-course from the S. W., and came to another in a deeper valley,
where we saw natives, who did not run away. There was a water-hole
nearest to our side, and one from which a native was ascending when I
approached. I directed the men (having encamped here) to keep the cattle
from that water-hole, if possible, anxious to avoid giving any offence on
this delicate point to the natives of these forests. Thermomete