rough splendid plains of high grass, could be
scarcely reconciled with the facts I have to record of a mud flat deeply
fissured by the scorching rays of a tropical sun, the absence of water,
and even scarcity of grass. The creek now turned to the south, and we
followed the shallow channels till 12.30 p.m., when we fortunately came
to a small pool which had been filled by a passing thunder-shower, and
here we encamped during the day; a fresh breeze at times blew from the
south-east and south, and the air was exceedingly warm; thermometer 106
degrees at noon, but being very dry, was not very oppressive.

Latitude by Canopus, Castor and Pollux 18 degrees 55 minutes 45 seconds.

LEVEL COUNTRY.

26th February.

As the course of the creek was uncertain, we steered south at 5.45 a.m.
across the atriplex plain, and at 6.35 reached the ordinary right bank of
the creek, which was low and gravelly, covered with triodia and small
bushes; we then passed a patch of white-gum forest, and at 8 entered a
grassy plain which had been favoured by a passing shower; green grass was
abundant, and even some small puddles of water still remained in the
hollows of the clay soil. At 10.50 came on the creek, which had collected
into a single channel and formed pools, some of which appeared to be
permanent, as they contained small fish. At one of these pools we
encamped at 11.10. The channel of the creek is about fifteen feet below
the level of the plain, and is marked by a line of small flooded-gum
trees, the atriplex flat has ceased, and the soil is a hard white clay,
producing salsola and a little grass; the morning clear with a moderate
easterly breeze, afternoon cloudy with a few drops of rain at night.

Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 7 minutes 30 seconds.

27th February.

Resumed our journey down the creek at 6.5 a.m., when it turned to the
west and formed a fine lake-like reach 200 yards wide, with rocky banks
and sandstone ridges on both sides of the creek; at 11.0 camped at the
lower end of a fine reach trending south: the general character of these
reaches of water is that they are very shallow and are separated by wide
spans of dry channel, the water being ten feet below the running level.
The country is very inferior, and the grassy flats are reduced to very
narrow limits, and the hills are red sandstone, producing nothing but
small trees and triodia.

Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 19 degrees 12 minutes 20 seconds.