and not at all of first-class quality, the only green feed being about
the creek and watercourses. A great abundance of those fine shady
broad-leaved trees; they would be a great ornament in a park; it bears an
abundance of seed but not ripe at present although I have taken some of
it. Very sultry.

Sunday, May 4.

Camp 51. Mild night and morning. Our small stock of sheep got out of the
fold in the night and half of them are missing this morning; I hope they
may be got. Sky a good deal overcast. Wind east. I am glad that the
missing sheep, after a little looking for, were found close by; the loss
of them would have deprived us of at least seven days' food, which would
be no light matter in a country where we seldom can even shoot a duck,
much less sufficient for all the party who are now, I am happy to say, in
excellent health. As this creek--which I have called Davis Creek after
one of the party--bears a good deal on my course of yesterday, and has a
good many irregularities near the bank which make it rough travelling, I
have changed my course to north-west or 315 degrees; at one mile cleared
the creek although it keeps pretty close on my present course and appears
to be hemmed in on the right by the last ridge I crossed yesterday; then
over plains and belts of myall gum; at five and three-quarter miles
crossed a small creek flowing northward over similar country, but more
sound; at ten and a half miles crossed a couple of small creeks flowing
northward (the natives burning a short distance on our left); then over a
variety of fair open country and a small portion of very thick and
scrubby myall forest; then over spinifex ridge; then over well grassed
tablelands for several miles; then over pretty thickly timbered spinifex
rise of considerable length; and lastly for the last five miles over
plains, light belts of timber here and there; got to a creek with
sufficient water at twenty-seven and three-quarter miles. Long day,
rather; did not see a drop of water the whole way, but I fancy we could
have had what we desired at the early part of the day but we did not
require it. The sheep and bullocks got to camp about 8 o'clock p.m., an
astonishing journey for the poor little fellows; they are now, with the
constant travelling and the long coarse grass, falling off in condition,
but had they the feed they were accustomed to they would be much better;
as it is they are far from poor--kidneys well-covered yet and fairish
c