cattle. He had not followed it far when he saw a mob of blacks.
They did not molest him, so he passed them quietly, as he thought,
but about two miles further on, in some scrubby sandstone gullies, as
he was riding along looking for tracks, a spear whistled past, within
six inches of his face. Pulling up, he saw seven natives, all
standing quietly looking on at the effect of the missile: the fellow
who threw it never threw another. Pursuing his way, pondering on the
fatality that had brought about collisions on two Sundays running, he
met the cattle, and found the party in some excitement; they too had
had a shindy. The natives had attacked them in force, but no one was
hurt, whilst some of their assailants were left on the ground, and
others carried away wounded. It was found that they would not stand
after the first charge--and a few were hit. (Camp XXIX.) Distance
9 miles. Course W. by N.

'November' 28.--All hopes of finding the eight missing head of
cattle, lost from camp 28, had to be abandoned, for the reason that
the horse-flesh could not hold out in looking for them. The cattle
were moved down along the lagoons, which in about two miles narrowed
into a defined creek, sandy, with occasional lagoons. This was
explored ten miles by the Leader, and the question as to whether he
should choose that route, or follow the river was decided for him.
The banks were either utterly barren or clothed with spinifex, and
the country on either side the same worthless tea-tree levels. He
was therefore determined to take the cattle back on to the river,
which was not much better, and led them away from their course. The
prospects of the Brothers were rather dispiriting. To attempt
striking north was out of the question, whilst every mile down the
river took them further away from their destination, and their horses
were falling away daily, so much so, that if the feed did not soon
improve, there would not be one capable of carrying an empty saddle.
The rainy season too was at hand, and the level and flooded nature of
the country they were in, would, were they caught there by the
floods, endanger the safety of the party. It was therefore with no
little anxiety that they watched the weather, and searched for a
practicable line which would allow of their steering north. (Camp
XXX.) Latitude 16 degrees 26 minutes 53 seconds. Distance 10 miles,
W. by N.

'November' 29.--Keeping a south-west course, so as to strike