ad much difficulty in keeping the
pack-horses together, and were at last compelled to unload them amongst
rocks in the bed of a dry watercourse trending to the westward; a little
grass being procurable in the vicinity. Fortunately water had been met
with at noon, so that we were not pressed for want of it. Camp 21.

Latitude 22 degrees 41 minutes 43 seconds.

15th June.

Following the gully upon which we had encamped, it led us to the
westward, over a rocky line of country, until 1 p.m., when not meeting
with any water, and the horses showing great weakness and symptoms of
distress from the loss of their shoes, it was found desirable to quit the
main gully and try and find feed and water up a promising tributary
coming from the north with the view of ultimately falling back on the
plains under the Hamersley Range, should we fail to meet with water
sooner; fortunately, however, in an hour we came upon a small supply
amongst rocks, surrounded by some tolerable feed. Had we failed to find
this timely relief, it is probable that not more than half the horses
would have been able to carry their loads to the nearest known waterhole.
Camp 22.

16th June (Sunday).

This day of rest was alike acceptable to man and horse, and afforded me
an opportunity, after reading prayers to the party, to clear a set of
lunar distances, by which I found that the chronometer would have placed
us forty miles to the west of our true position. I had long since
observed that it could not be trusted under even ordinary variations of
temperature, but could procure no other, the Acting Surveyor-General
having declined to supply me with either of the two chronometers
belonging to his department that could be relied on, and in consequence I
now found I should be compelled to have recourse entirely to lunar
observations and triangulation for the compilation of the maps, which
would add very much to the amount of labour and liability to error.
Several crested pigeons, white cockatoos, and crested quail or
partridges, were shot as they came to drink at the waterhole.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS.

17th June.

The horses had so far recovered after the day's rest that we were enabled
to resume a south-west course, following down the bed of the stream to
latitude 22 degrees 51 minutes, the country slightly improving towards
evening; but we again had to encamp without water, having, however,
obtained a small quantity in some gravel at noon. The hills to the ea