hat back
country extending to the little river from Mount Abundance, the Cogoon.

2D NOVEMBER.--After watering all the animals, we went forward, prepared
to go on to the Balonne, even if we should meet with no water until we
arrived at that river. We found, however, that the country we were to
traverse was well watered. Three miles on from our camp, the country
appeared quite verdant, and park-like in its woods. The channel of the
river was bordered with green reeds, and contained a deep reach of
sparkling water. The river took a turn to the eastward, and, in the angle
formed by its again turning south, a little tributary entered it from the
north, which was full of ponds of water, and had not long ceased to run.
This came from the rocky tract situated between our old line of route,
along the little river Cogoon near Mount First View, and the Maranoa. The
water now found supplied the only link wanting in our explored line along
the last mentioned river, and I had no doubt that, by crossing that
country more directly towards the upper part of the Maranoa, a supply
would be found at convenient stages. On crossing the little tributary
(which I called Requisite Ponds), we found that the river resumed its
straight course towards the Balonne; and, in latitude 27 deg. 31' 37" S., we
again saw green reeds and a good pond, beside which we encamped.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 50 deg.; at noon, 76 deg.; at 4 P. M., 79 deg.; at 9, 63 deg.;
--with wet bulb, 61 deg.. (Camp 82.) Height above the sea, 969 feet.

3D NOVEMBER.--The river accompanied us but a short way this day, as I had
determined to follow a straight line towards the junction with the
Balonne, aware that the course of the river, for ten or twelve miles
above that point, turned very much to the westward. We passed through
much open forest, and over much sandy ground, on which the callitris
always appeared to predominate. Little scrub lay in our way. At length,
plains again appeared before us through the trees; and, beyond them,
after travelling twenty-two miles, we saw before us the river line,
running north-east. We crossed it, and still continued to travel on
towards the main river; but night overtook us when not far distant from
it, so that we were obliged to encamp within the distance of a mile and a
half, after a journey, with carts, of 261/2 miles. Here occurred the only
Epiphyte observed during the expedition. It was growing in the dead parts
of trees in the forest,