having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.

8th October.

Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.

9th October.

Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.

ENCOUNTER STEEP ROCKY RANGES.

10th October.

At 7.50 a.m. started with the whole party, and proceeded down the creek
to the head of the salt water, and then by a detour among the rocky hills
reached the running creek visited yesterday, and encamped at 11.0 a.m.; I
then started with Mr. H. Gregory in a southerly direction, and after an
hour's ride came to the Fitzmaurice River, which varied from 100 to 300
yards in width, the general course nearly east and west; the channel was
full of rocks and banks which were dry at low water, the rise of the tide
nearly twenty feet. The hills which bounded the valley of the creek we
had descended terminated in an abrupt rocky ridge which left no passage
between it and the river; we therefore returned about half a mile to the
north, and, after a toilsome ascent of nearly an hour, crossed the ridge
and halted at a small spring on its eastern side till 2.0 p.m., when we
proceeded up the river, crossing two small dry creeks; after a fruitless
search for a suitable spot to which the camp could be moved, there being
no fresh wate