adversaries having, probably, at length learned that "they were worth
letting alone," and never again shewing themselves. The distance
travelled was 8 miles. N.E. by N.

'January' 15.--This being Sunday and horses, cattle, and men, being
in want of rest after the work of the last two days, it was
determined to make a rest day. The party employed part of the time
in spreading out the contents of the pack bags to dry, everything
having become mouldy with the constant wetting. The day was marked
too, by a grant feast of "stodge," doughboys, and jam, stodge being a
delicacy extemporised for the occasion, consisting of "flour boiled
with water to the consistency of paste, with some small pieces of raw
meat thrown into it"!! The Brothers spent part of the afternoon in
the mutual good offices of picking the pandanus thorns out of each
others feet and legs, the blackboys following their example. These
thorns were a constant source of small torture to the party. The
necessity of trying the ground in advance of the cattle prevented
them wearing boots, and thus feet and legs were left without any
protection, and exposed them day after day to the same annoyance.
Another horse, "Creamy," sickened from the effects of the poison. It
was thought that he had not taken enough to kill him, and that the
day's rest would set him to rights. A cow was also left bogged in
the swamp. The ground on which the party encamped was supposed at
first to be dry, being on a bloodwood ridge, with six or eight inches
of gravel on the surface, but the heavy rain of the previous night
caused the water to run through the tents to a depth of three inches.
It was only necessary to scratch a handful of gravel off the crust to
get clear running water for drinking. A heavy rain again fell during
the night, dispelling all hopes of sound travelling for the morrow.
(Camp LXIX. Bloodwood.)

'January' 16.--The absolute necessity of getting at or near their
destination before the setting in of the periodical rains, stimulated
the Leader to urge the party to long stages, which was not at all
relished by some of the number, two of whom at starting made repeated
requests to camp for another day, alleging that they could not walk
any further. To this Mr. Jardine could not listen, and being further
importuned, disposed of the request summarily by packing their rifles
on the horses, and telling them that they might remain or come on as
they might elect. He