st to 28th July.

Was fully taken up in shoeing horses, making spare shoes, refitting and
packing stores, etc., ready for our trip to the eastward, my own time
being principally taken up in roughly plotting the country already
explored, so as to secure all the information obtained, in the event of
any accident occurring to my field-books.

29th July.

Everything being in readiness for our departure, I gave Captain Dixon
instructions to wait for us in the bay to the 10th December, and in the
event of our not then returning, Mr. Walcott would land one of the ship's
iron tanks, and bury in it a quantity of stores, at a spot already agreed
upon; the Dolphin would then proceed to Fremantle. It blew so fresh all
the morning that I could not land until 3 p.m., when we quickly saddled
up and proceeded three miles to a waterhole up in the volcanic hills, as
it was probable we should have a very long day's march tomorrow without
water. As we had now only nineteen horses, and one of these so low in
condition as not to be able to carry a load, we could only take with us
eighty-seven days' rations, at the rate of one pound of flour, seven
ounces of meat, and four ounces of sugar per man per diem; we were,
however, well provided with ammunition, and thirty spare sets of
horse-shoes, with nails sufficient for at least two removes, the horses
themselves being shod at starting with extra strong shoes tipped with
steel. We had now only seven saddle-horses, so that one of the party was
always on foot by turns of an hour each. It had been originally intended
that the Dolphin should proceed to Roebuck Bay and meet us there; but it
was now so late in the season that I did not deem it prudent to run the
risk of removing her to an unknown anchorage, where it was possible we
might not be able to reach, and thus lay ourselves open to the
probability of a very embarrassing uncertainty. The result proved we had
adopted the right course. Bivouac.

DIFFICULTY IN CROSSING MUD FLATS.

30th July.

This morning we crossed the marsh with some difficulty, as all the
pack-horses but three fell and stuck in the mud, until we transferred
their loads to our own backs and carried them through half a mile of the
softest part. The operation detained us so long that we did not make more
than eighteen miles, when we found a little water left in the pool seen
on the 18th. Camp 48.

31st July.

Started at 8 a.m., following our old tracks to 3.30 p.m., when