ednesday, March 26.

Camp 19. Started on bearing of 315 degrees to get closer to course of
main creek which I have observed nothing of for the last two days.
Beautiful weather; heavy dews at night. At ten miles struck and crossed a
box creek where it empties itself into a flat; passing over splendid
country, the latter part in the small watercourse rather stony and sandy.
A quarter of a mile further on is another box creek, and between it and
the first creek is a perfectly boggy swamp full of water, as well as the
creek, so have to change course to avoid some of it; bearing of 55 1/2
degrees, over plain for two miles; then bearing 7 1/2 degrees for four
and a half miles, first part of it magnificent feed, the rest a
morass--will have to clear out of this to the east for some distance to
round it. Any traveller caught here in rainy weather such as has been
lately deluging these vast plains would to a certainty be washed
away--there is not a knoll six feet high within the range of the eye.
Journey today about sixteen and a half miles from point to point, but I
made it considerably more in trying to get across the swamp and being
obliged to return. A small hill from top of a tree at camp beyond what
appears the main creek in the distance bears 309 degrees; another small
one is west and south of that--no other rising ground to speak of
visible, except in the direction we came from and a little east of it.

Thursday, March 27.

20, or Carbine Creek camp--having left one behind there on a tree, which
has lost the hammer and is unfit for service. Bearing of 29 degrees for
nine miles over swampy country with splendid feed, belts of timber on the
right or east of course, studded in various places, denoting waterholes;
then bearing of 15 degrees for one and a quarter miles where I got bogged
in a creek; got out of it again with a good deal of difficulty and found
that course quite impracticable; after trying the ground for a couple of
miles found it nothing but a bog, so changed course to 54 degrees for
half a mile over sound ground, and encamped on a small creek with a
perfect meadow of grass all around. From the top of a tree hills in the
distance to north and south of east discernible--rising ground near,
which I will make for in the morning. I went out this evening and found
that it is good travelling and will thus allow me to get more in a
northerly direction than of late. Cannot get within miles as yet of the
main creek o