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e mare back to camp or part of the way. On bearing of 110 degrees for about four miles, first part over salt swamps; passed a long rocky lagoon full of water and half a mile long from north to south, and several other smaller ones between that and the river; mangrove banks in all the flat parts. Banks on this side treeless; country much burnt up. Top tide at least five hours earlier than when we camped last night; caught a few fish--in all about enough for one but had to do for the three of us. Rise and fall of river somewhere about five feet. Wednesday, May 14. Wind south; was very cloudy during the night and this morning; mosquitoes very troublesome during the night. Bearing homewards 170 to 215 degrees for the first eight or ten miles, leaving Poole and Middleton to get on to our first camp till I bring on the party on the morrow. Got to camp myself a little after sundown, and to my disgust found all the camels astray and Bell and Davis in search of them. Thursday, May 15. Start Hodgkinson and Maitland on to Middleton and Poole's camp with four horses, bedding, and provisions on such a course, 25 1/2 degrees west of north, as will cut their camp. No tidings of the camels. I went out and hunted about for them till noon, and just as I got to camp Bell and Davis returned, having camped out all night after them, but saw nothing of them--the ground is so hard they leave so little impression on the ground that it is a difficult thing to trace them; however they have got bells and hobbles on and will at once be again sent after, with, I hope, more success. I am exceedingly annoyed at the detention here, more so as the animals don't do so well here as they have done. Hunted still during the afternoon for them, but without success. All spare hands will start out in search in the morning; it will be the sound of the bells or the sight of them only that will recover them, as track them we cannot in this dry country. Promised the party a treat on arriving within the influence of the sea on the north coast, so had baked some flour kept in reserve and each had a liberal allowance served out to him--that with fresh and excellent mutton and some salt I brought back from the flats gave all quite a treat. Sent Poole and Middleton theirs on by Hodgkinson and Maitland, which in their present half-starved condition would be a still greater treat. We would all have been in better spirits had the camels not been absent, but will hu
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