35
degrees until 5.39, then on bearing of 75 degrees till 6.21; no water,
but a very little drop about half a mile back, to which place I returned
and found there was even less than I expected. This is a most deceitful
part of the country; every five minutes you are in expectation of coming
to water but it was our fate to meet none but this muddy little drop,
barely sufficient for our own use, and none for the animals. From about 3
p.m. till we camped heavy belts of swampy box and large gums; many
patches of reeds and coarse grass; water recently dried up; and belts of
plain. Numerous birds seen--cockatoos, hawks, crows, galahs, etc. etc.
etc.

Wednesday, May 28.

Camp 7. The bullocks (two) with Palmer and Kirby on horseback and
Maitland on foot did not come up to camp last night, but immediately
after sunrise the two horsemen and bullocks arrived, but not Maitland, he
being on foot from having injured his horse so much as to render him
unfit to ride, as is his usual way with every horse he gets, taking no
care of him whatever. I told him when he injured the last that if he did
the same to this one he should walk; and good to my word I made him walk
yesterday. Rode a short distance at sunrise, having heard some native
companions calling out after daylight, and found within a quarter of a
mile of us, almost within view, two splendid lagoons. Immediately
returned to camp and moved it at once to the nearest one; it bears from
last night's camp nearly due south, a quarter of a mile or little over;
the other lagoon is distant about 300 yards south-east of this. Great
abundance of feed. As the camels are lame and in need of a spell and we
want to kill a bullock and Maitland not come up yet I have made up my
mind to stop here till all are put in travelling order. In the morning
the wind bitterly cold from south-east to south-south-east. Middleton has
been laid up for the last three days and lost the use of his legs
yesterday afternoon but hope he will soon be all right again. He is much
better today; I should get on indifferently without him. Although we met
with no water coming along last afternoon I have no doubt but that there
was plenty of it, as the natives were burning everywhere as we came
along, particularly close on our right. It is still a splendid country
for grass and timber. As soon as we moved to camp we had one of the
bullocks (Boxer) up and killed; he is very fair beef. The other is not so
good, but stands be