came
very sultry, and there was a haziness in the air. On Mount Owen Mr.
Stephenson found a new species of VIGNA with yellow flowers[*], and the
SWAINSONIA PHACOIDES, conspicuous with its pink flowers. We took up our
old ground over the gullies, and I went in quest of water. The ponds
formerly here, had dried up, but Yuranigh found a deep one in the solid
rock, containing enough for months. It was inaccessible to horses, but
with a bucket we watered both these and the bullocks. The mercurial
column was low, the sky became overcast, and a slight shower raised our
hopes that at length rain might fall in sufficient quantity to relieve us
from the difficulty about water, in returning towards Mr. Kennedy's camp.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 63 deg.; at noon, 79 deg.; at 4 P. M., 76 deg.; at 9, 64 deg.;--
with wet bulb, 59 deg..

[* V. LANCEOLATA (Benth. MS.) glabra volubilis, foliolis lanceolatis
reticulatis integris v. basi hastato-lobatis, pedunculis folio multo
longioribus apice paucifloris, calyce glabro campanulato dentibus tubo
brevioribus, carina rostrata acuta.--Flowers smaller than in V. VILLOSA,
but of the same form.]

14TH OCTOBER.--During the night several smart showers fell, and at
daybreak the sky seemed set for rain. When we set off it rained rather
heavily. I took a new direction, and got into a gully which led to our
former track of 17th June. Crossing it, I passed into the bed of the
Maranoa, and followed it down with the carts, until we arrived at the
large pond in solid rock, to which I had sent the bullocks on the 18th
June. Here we encamped, and I marked a tree with the number 74, as it
might be necessary on future occasions to refer to where a permanent
supply of water may be found in that part of the country. Thermometer, at
sunrise, 60 deg.; at noon, 71 deg.; at 4 P. M., 66 deg.; at 9, 52 deg.;--with wet bulb,
48 deg..

15TH OCTOBER.--Last evening the wind blew keenly, and the night was cold,
the temperature very different from that experienced of late. The morning
presented a thick haze and drizzling rain, this kind of weather being
rather favourable for crossing the loose sandy surface, which the men
dreaded, remembering how it had before affected their eyes. I at first
endeavoured to travel this day along the river bank, but I found its
course so tortuous, and the country on its banks so hilly and rocky, that
I left it, and proceeded in a direction that would intersect the former
track. We thus pas