l was a good red loam. The metallic barometer has a
second time suddenly deviated from the aneroid barometer, and the form of
the vacuum vessel has visibly altered, the construction being too slight
to bear the motion of the pack-horse, though one of the steadiest animals
had been selected to carry the instruments, and they are always
surrounded with blankets.

Latitude by meridian altitude of the sun 14 degrees 53 minutes 16
seconds.

18th July.

As this was a suitable camp for resting the party, and grass was
abundant, I rode to the south-east with Mr. H. Gregory to look for a
route towards the head of the Wickham River; our course was along a
valley between the trap hills to the west and a sandstone range to the
east. About eight miles reached a creek trending north-east; its channel
was dry and sandy, but after some search found a small pool of water in a
side channel; casuarina and flooded-gum trees grew on the banks of the
creek, and there was some good grass on the flats, which were limited by
sandstone hills densely wooded with acacia of the same species as that
seen on the lower part of Sturt's Creek. After an hour's halt at the pool
of water we returned to camp.

SILENT NATIVES.

19th July.

The horses having scattered much during the night, it was 8 a.m. before
they were collected and saddled; we then followed our track of yesterday
to the pool in the creek, eight miles south-east, reaching it at 11.45.
The sandstones here showed a decided dip to the west, at angles varying
from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, and the trap-rocks only extended five miles
from the previous camp. In the afternoon five natives were observed
watching the camp, and finding they were observed by us came up to the
party, but could not be induced to speak a single word; they soon after
retired. They had no spears, and were followed by a small dog. Their
teeth were entire, but they were all circumcised. At 8.0 p.m. the blacks
were detected stealing into the camp, and, though we called upon them to
retire, only hid themselves in the grass; but as it was absolutely
necessary for our own safety to dislodge them from their position, I
caused a gun to be fired in the air, hoping that they would retire, but
they commenced to ship their spears, and I therefore ordered a charge of
shot to be fired at them, which had the desired effect of compelling them
to retreat. What their object was in thus approaching the camp at night,
unless for hostil